Marxe Graduate Student Wins Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Azerbaijan

October 20, 2020

Munira Pulodi (’21), a master of public administration graduate student from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, is among four recipients to win a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Azerbaijan.

“I am so happy to earn this award,” Pulodi said. “I have really been looking forward to this opportunity especially since I selected the country which fascinates me with its rich culture, history, cuisine, and language. I am excited to immerse myself in a local culture.”

The English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program places Fulbright award winners in classrooms abroad to support local English teachers. ETAs help provide English language instruction to students—ranging from kindergarteners to those at the university level—while serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S.

Pulodi hopes to travel to Azerbaijan early next year, as the ETA program may be going forward in January 2021. This past March, the Fulbright Program was suspended worldwide in the interest of safety due to an emerging global pandemic.

A Future Policy Maker

Pulodi previously taught English to students in Thailand, Tajikistan, and the United States. She was encouraged to apply for this Fulbright award to Azerbaijan by a friend who had a “wonderful experience” completing the program in Kyrgyzstan.

From January 2018 to December 2019, Pulodi supported a project for the United Nation’s Department of Global Communications. During this time, the department held multiple events for youth where students from around the world presented their projects on climate action.

She now hopes the Fulbright award will enable her to rejoin the United Nations and work in education, human rights, and migration.

“As a future policy maker, I am interested in learning more about the country’s rapid economic growth and development,” Pulodi stated. “One of my goals in Azerbaijan is to connect local students to international opportunities. If the host university does not already have a Model UN group, I would love to create one. This would be a great opportunity for students to research and speak about global issues as well as further improve their public speaking and communication skills.”

# # #