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Bethany College Welcomes Three Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants for 2023-24

Bethany College is delighted to welcome three Fulbright Scholars for the 2023-24 academic year, as part of the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Program.

Islem Allegui, of Tunisia, Lucile Alasseur, of Paris, and Antonio Acosta-Sanchez, of Spain, are teaching language and culture courses to Bethany students in Spanish, Arabic, and French.

Allegui is teaching Arabic culture and language courses. She holds a master’s degree in cross cultural studies and poetics, and a bachelor’s degree in English. As an intern, Allegui worked with adult special-needs students as a mentor and translator, before moving on to holding multiple titles within respected non-profit organizations in the human development sector, including IWATCH and FHI360. In 2021, she received the Lazord Fellowship award, a highly selective program that provides recipients with a one-year job placement within a non-governmental organization. In her role as a cultural ambassador, Islem hopes to inspire a passion for change and advocate for increased accessibility to education.

“My excitement stems from embarking on a fresh journey where I can work on my skills as a teacher, especially in effectively communicating with all my students,” says Allegui. “I believe this to be a transformative experience that will offer me opportunities for personal growth and professional development.”

Alasseur is teaching French language and culture courses. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in anglophone languages and cultures. While at the Université Gustave Eiffel, Alasseur organized a “Students-for-Students” peer tutoring program, as well as undertook an intensive 70-hour teaching observation internship. As a cultural ambassador, Alasseur is excited about sharing her vision of France and already has various ideas for activities and workshops that she hopes will bring French culture to Bethany.

“I see my coming to Bethany College as a real adventure. I think that this is a golden opportunity, a once in a lifetime experience, that will provide me with unforgettable memories and many discoveries,” says Alasseur. “So far, I only have good feelings about Bethany. The people I’ve met have been nice, and the campus is gorgeous.”

Acosta-Sanchez is teaching Spanish culture and language courses. He holds a master’s in teaching in secondary schools, vocational training and language centers with a specialization in English, and is finishing a second degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language at the Universidad Internacional de la Rioja. Acosta-Sanchez comes to Bethany after completing a four-month teacher traineeship at the University of Ghent in Belgium, along with further international experience during an Erasmus+ scholarship at the Sorbonne in Paris. Explaining his motivation to teach languages, Acosta-Sanchez says that “learning a foreign language lets us become more empathetic with others and recognize new cultures far beyond our own mindset.”

“This year at Bethany holds immense promise for my personal and professional growth. I am particularly excited about the academic opportunities that will help me advance toward my career goal of becoming a professor. My aim is not only to develop personally but also to give back to my home country by sharing the knowledge and experiences I gain here,” says Acosta-Sanchez. “This scholarship is a valuable gift, and I want to honor it by embracing the learning journey ahead.”