By JALEAH TAYLOR, Assistant Editor
Former Eastern student, Wyatt Stanford, has been named a recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in France. Stanford, Director of New Media and Marketing for Symbiotic Aquaponics, who is originally from Haileyville, attended Eastern Oklahoma State College to major in the field of Mass Communication. While at Eastern, he obtained various achievements with his involvement in the Honor’s Club, Phi Theta Kappa, and also was recognized as the top graduate in the Division of Language, Humanities, & Education. He says that attending Eastern contributed to being “the best decision” he’s made.
“They (Eastern faculty and staff) set me up for success, and I am so grateful to them, and all the staff that make Eastern such a great place,” Stanford said.
The Fulbright Scholarship is a program created in 1946 introduced by Senator J. William Fulbright in legislation, of Arkansas, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with the objective to increase “mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries,” in accordance with their website. Annually, the Fulbright program awards scholarships to approximately 2,000 post-graduate students to conduct research, and assist in teaching English in 140 countries.
After graduating from University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication (known as OU) with a 4.0 GPA, being a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Kappa Tau Alpha Journalism and Mass Communication Honor Society, as well as the President’s Award for Outstanding Transfer Student, he is one of nine OU students and alumni to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship, and one of 10 American students to be given a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award in France.
Stanford looks to complete his education with a master’s or juris doctorate in either Strategic Communication or French. Although Stanford, came from a small environment, he largely displays admirable qualities for students. He encourages students to “just do it.”
“With a little hard work and determination, you can fulfill your aspirations.”
