As an associate writing professor, Jessica McCaughey ’01 helps undergraduate students process through prose about their study abroad experiences to Portugal, Australia, Taiwan and other countries across the globe.
“I didn’t have a chance to study abroad in college, so I live vicariously through their adventures,” said McCaughey, who was a first-generation student while earning a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Mary Washington.
Now, she’s experiencing an overseas opportunity of her own. After receiving a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award, McCaughey moved her family to Northern Ireland in January, where she’ll spend six months teaching creative nonfiction at Queen’s University in Belfast while developing a professional writing archive.
She’s among the dozens of Mary Washington alumni who’ve earned the U.S. government-sponsored grant through the Fulbright Program, one of the world’s most competitive international exchange initiatives. Roughly 30 recipients – including Sofia Taylor ’24, currently conducting psychology research in Germany – and nearly 40 semifinalists have come from UMW, reflecting the University’s growing reputation for Fulbright achievement. Learn more about Fulbright Award winner.
