National Scholarship Office

Fulbright Spotlight: Leslie Pyo

VCU alumna, Leslie Pyo, is spending a year in South Korea, fully funded by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Read on for a taste of Leslie’s experience so far and to learn more about what Fulbright could look like for you!

What program/country did you choose and why?

I chose the Fulbright Korea Open Study/Research Program and applied under Creative Writing. I’d long had an idea for a bilingual picture book that would use surreal metaphors to invite intergenerational conversations in Korean diaspora families — but I’d known I needed to live in Korea first to do the idea justice. I’d also always wanted to have the chance to live in Korea and connect with the Korean side of my family. 

What made you want to apply for Fulbright in the first place?

The Honors College did a great job of sharing information about the Fulbright while I was an undergrad at VCUarts (2012-16), so I’d been interested in the opportunity but wasn’t ready to pursue it straight out of college. Two years ago, I was telling a friend about my idea for the picture book. They said, “You should apply for a grant and do it!” I remembered Mr. Wing had shared that people could apply for Fulbrights even years after they graduated, and I reached out to him. That was the start of this adventure.

In what ways did your Fulbright program inform your future goals?

Applying for the Fulbright was the first action I took in my adult life to truly prioritize my art and myself as a creative person who thrives in nontraditional structures. Having ten months to not only fully pursue this creative project I’d been ideating for years, but to also structure my time and “energy spends” in ways that worked for me outside of a 9-5 grind, has had a huge impact on what I want in life. I want to continue pursuing opportunities that allow for this kind of flexibility and creative expression. 

What did you discover about yourself?

I discovered that when it came to working on an idea I’d had forever (as opposed to something less “precious”), I had trouble allowing the creative process to be a PROCESS rather than an immediately perfect output machine. Having the time and space to work through those fears has been rewarding.

I also discovered what my brain feels like as it moves through the stages of language acquisition, such as my brain feeling “thirsty” if I go too long without stimulating the new neural connections/projections that are a result of my Korean language learning. 

What advice would you give to prospective Fulbright applicants?

Don’t write the proposal you think a committee wants to hear, write the proposal you actually want to do. Make your project and the way you describe it as specific to your inner flame as possible.

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The program operates in over 160 countries worldwide. Over 2,000 grants are given to graduating seniors, recent alumni, and graduate students to conduct research, carry out creative projects, pursue a year of postgraduate study, or teach English abroad.

The NSO will host a Fulbright Information Session on April 3 at 2pm. Register to attend to learn more about the Fulbright Program and how the NSO can help you apply.

VCU’s National Scholarship Office (NSO) assists students and recent alumni with the application process for the Fulbright Program and other esteemed awards. To learn more about external funding opportunities, schedule an appointment with a member of the NSO staff.

Categories Fulbright Award
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