On Feb. 13, the U.S. Department of State froze funding for multiple international education programs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
What was supposed to be a 15-day pause still has not been officially lifted, and students who depend on that money are feeling the effects.
Taylor Herman graduated from the University of South Florida in May 2024 with an undergraduate degree in political science.
Since last September, she's pursued an English Teaching Assistantship through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in the Eastern European country of Moldova.
Normally, students receive quarterly payments to sustain their living expenses while they teach or research in a foreign country.
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Herman thought she would receive her usual three-month stipend in early March. Instead, she received one week's worth of pay and an email stating that there was no update on when the rest would come.
Although she just received the last chunk of funding from her program, which is set to end in June, the pause has jeopardized the future of many Fulbright researchers and students.
We spoke with Herman about the importance of programs like Fulbright and the stress of not knowing when her funding would resume.
Why did you choose the Fulbright program?
I knew my career aspirations went toward the Department of State and working in foreign affairs. So, Fulbright presented a really excellent opportunity for me to get hands-on experience in another country, not just in the capital and working with the embassy, which I do get to do, which is wonderful exposure.
But, also we are placed in rural cities, where we are getting to interact with locals and communities that oftentimes have never met an American. I'm obviously sharing U.S. culture, sharing U.S. values, as well as getting the opportunity as a young professional to live in a foreign country, be exposed to the culture and to learn the languages here, which are Russian and Romanian.
I understand your grant was paused recently due to the current presidential administration's funding freeze. How much did or does that affect you and your fellow Fulbright peers?
We originally heard in January, February that there would be this review of State Department funding and that this could possibly impact our grants.
At the time, we kind of were just sitting ducks. Our grant payment had gone through to cover the end of February, so at the beginning of March was when we were supposed to receive our grant payment for March and April during the time that we would receive funding.
For that period, we received an email from the Institute of International Education that we would be receiving a week's worth of the stipend, which was about $300 rather than the full stipend. It was stressful, knowing that at the beginning of the month, for example, many of us pay rent.
So we are budgeting based off of the rent allocations we expect to get. Luckily, I was able to financially sustain myself with some savings I had, but I know it was very stressful for some other Fulbrighters who maybe didn't have that same change in hand to plan for the month of March with only one week worth of funding.
Currently, how does that environment look, I guess, in terms of uncertainty? Is there still kind of this atmosphere of not knowing what's going to happen next?
I received the remainder of my next two months of funding (on March 10), which was definitely a relief. I had a lot of expenses. They were just kind of hanging in limbo. I think there's a little bit more comfort in receiving this payment.
But that being said, nothing is cut in stone.
So I know there are researchers and other teachers and other countries that have yet to receive their funding or notice at all, and are sustaining on their personal funds.
They still work, and they still try to contribute to their mission as a Fulbright or in that country.
But I know there's a lot of uncertainty and anxiety still out there regarding what these students are going to do and how they're going to financially support themselves abroad.
And how important do you think it is for the federal government to support programs like Fulbright, especially now that you've had that experience?
Funny that you asked this. I had just emailed my state senator in Nebraska about support of the Fulbright Program, but I would say Fulbright is vastly important, in my opinion, to the future of United States foreign policy and our relationships with countries abroad.
It's all about public diplomacy and cultural connections and building positive relationships that young professionals like Fulbrighters, but also those we interact with, can look back on and build upon throughout their careers.
