Fulbright Teacher Exchange alum and high school Spanish teacher Jodi Resch Brownell of Wisconsin has partnered with instructors at Sauk Valley Community College in Illinois and SUNY-Oneonta in New York to create collaborative online learning opportunities. Her team’s project, awarded a $10,000 Alumni TIES grant through the U.S. Department of State, aims to build virtual exchange partnerships between rural schools and their international peers.
Jodi’s commitment to train K-16 rural educators and provide global connections to students in rural school districts has been recognized recently at the state level. In October 2023, Jodi was named 2023 Rural Teacher of the Year by the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance. Reflecting on expanding access to international learning experiences, Jodi said, “Building skills of intercultural competence, empathy, critical thinking, collaboration, language acquisition, and global citizenship will open more doors for student success and participation in the global market.”
Jodi Resch Brownell is an alum of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, United States to France.
More Alumni Voices
Jayme Margolin-Sneider
Bioscience Teacher, United States to Vietnam
"During my Fulbright, I was able to meet community members and tour facilities relating to local and regional products, potential jobs, and economy that the students could partner with."
Shawn Patrick Higgins
Computer Science and Media Arts Teacher, United States to the Philippines
“True engagement is not about access in the classroom alone; it’s about the freedom to extend learning into your students' personal lives and communities.”
Robert Kenfack
Language Teacher, Cameroon to United States
"I became a technology expert in my country, and I’ve been able to share this knowledge with other teachers in Cameroon."