Annika Richardson ’25 Awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship

Starting in September, Annika Richardson ’25 will teach English to students from age 12–18 at IES O Couto, a secondary school in Ourense, Spain, as part of the Fulbright Teaching Assistant Fellowship run by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Some of Richardson’s responsibilities will include teaching English lessons, leading conversation groups, and providing classroom assistance.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and professional achievement, and record of service. Richardson will join a network of esteemed Fulbright alumni, which includes 62 Nobel Prize laureates and 93 Pulitzer Prize recipients.

Richardson first visited Galicia, the community and region where Ourense is located, in the summer of 2024 during the Wheaton in Spain study abroad program. She was inspired as she learned about the Galician people and the region’s linguistic and cultural history.

“I loved being there and knew I needed to return,” Richardson said. 

Richardson hopes to teach Spanish in the future and recognizes the value of teaching English in a Spanish-speaking country before leading a classroom of her own. After learning about the Fulbright opportunity two months before the October application deadline, Richardson completed an accelerated application process with support and guidance from many, including Wheaton’s Fulbright Program Adviser, Dr. Pam Barger.

Richardson credits Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Brita Beitler and Senior Lecturer of Spanish Professor Sharenda Barlar—the latter of whom supervised her student teaching and led her Wheaton in Spain trip—with playing instrumental roles in her life during that season. Both professors met with and encouraged her as she simultaneously completed her Fulbright application and student taught at a local high school. Richardson also expresses gratitude for the consistent support Spanish professors Dr. Christine Kepner, Dr. Stephanie Gates, and Dr. Tamara Townsend demonstrated to her. All five professors have mentored and motivated her as a Spanish speaker, teacher, and Christ follower throughout her Wheaton journey, helping prepare her for what’s next.

“I’m excited to intentionally build bridges and participate in cultural exchange as a teacher and a learner in Galicia,” said Richardson. “I hope to be an educator for life, so this will be a stepping stone to teaching Spanish or possibly ESL or bilingual education in the future. I’m grateful for the opportunity to gain more cultural awareness to draw upon in future classrooms.”

—Juliana Bacote