KO
Kira Ogburn
  • Secondary Education
  • Class of 2020
  • West Palm Beach, FL

University of Dayton senior Kira Ogburn wins Fulbright honor

2017 Apr 26

University of Dayton senior Kira Ogburn of West Palm Beach, FL, won a scholarship as part of a Fulbright program and is headed abroad as an English teaching assistant.

Ogburn, an English major with minors in German and communications, will travel to Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, to teach in an English classroom and serve as a cultural ambassador in the community. She is also TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified and is eager to use her skills in a foreign language environment.

"One of the biggest reasons I wanted to apply for the Fulbright in Germany was to further connect with my cultural heritage," Ogburn said. "I have been working toward fluency in German throughout my college career and this 10-month immersion will greatly benefit me. I am interested in exploring the differences between the German and American school systems as part of my exchange."

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is sponsored by the United States government and provides intercultural education exchange opportunities like teaching English abroad or conducting research or attending graduate school abroad.

The application process is rigorous and highly selective.

"Fulbright allows students to see the world and use their skills in an international context," said Laura Cotten, University honors program associate director. "It's amazing how much students grow from their Fulbright year. Our UD students are great applicants; our students get the Fulbright mission and vision."

Ogburn plans to pursue forensic linguistics at Hofstra University after graduation from the University of Dayton.