W&L’s Anna Bosking ’24 Awarded Fulbright to Colombia Bosking has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Colombia.

By Emily Innes
April 22, 2024

Washington and Lee University senior Anna Bosking ’24 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to teach English in Colombia. At W&L, Bosking is a global politics major with minors in Latin American and Caribbean studies and poverty and human capability studies. Bosking is a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and graduated from Washington High School.

The ETA program in Colombia is designed to strengthen English language instruction at Colombian post-secondary institutions, and participants benefit from the intensive cross-cultural interaction and international education provided by the host institutions. English Teaching Assistants engage not only with their students, but with the surrounding community through service-oriented projects.

“Through my Fulbright experience, I hope to obtain a stronger grasp of the Spanish language, as well as a more nuanced perspective on community development and social engagement in Colombia,” Bosking said. “Colombia has experienced human rights challenges, and its continued efforts to address social justice issues present an opportunity to witness the challenges of international law.”

Bosking feels prepared for her ETA thanks to the opportunities she has been afforded at W&L and believes her experiences on campus and abroad have shaped her ability to connect with and guide students from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Bosking’s interest in Latin America began with an internship with a social and economic non-profit in Santiago, Chile, in 2022. She was inspired to declare a Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) minor at W&L and immersed herself in coursework exploring the region’s social, political and economic dynamics. Her LACS capstone project completed during Winter Term 2023 focused on understanding the impact of economic and political challenges on Colombian attitudes and policies toward Venezuelan migrants, and she felt her post-graduate plans begin to take shape after visiting a friend working in Bogotá as an ETA.

“I knew Colombia was a place I wanted to make an impact,” Bosking said. “My aspiration to engage with university students through language teaching is rooted in my desire to utilize my skills and experiences for the betterment of Colombia’s educational landscape.”

Bosking’s commitment to public service has made her stand out on W&L’s campus, where she serves as chair of the Contact Committee, vice president of the Alpha Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa and the in- and after-school tutoring coordinator for English Speakers of Other Languages. Her most impactful experience has been working with first-year W&L students as a Leading Edge program leader with the Volunteer Venture service experience. Having participated in Volunteer Venture as an incoming student, she appreciates the opportunity to help others build relationships and explore issues of poverty and injustice through service.

Bosking has also been inspired by her faculty mentors at W&L. During her senior year, she worked with Zoila Ponce de León, assistant professor of politics, to create an independent study course that would allow her to accept an internship with the non-profit Human Rights First’s Project: Afghan Legal Assistance team and learn how to apply her experience to a future career in immigration law. She also credits Robin LeBlanc, professor of politics, with helping her learn the value of global civic engagement, particularly through her Spring Term course, Democratic Community, taught in Bologna, Italy.

“Anna is the kind of student who improves any classroom she enters,” LeBlanc said. “She is, of course, prepared and highly capable. But she is also open-minded and genuinely curious about others. Anna has the perfect mindset for the ambassadorial element of the Fulbright program. I can’t wait to see what she does with this opportunity.”

With the Fulbright award, Bosking will depart in August 2024 for her 10-month program. Upon completion of the program, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in international or immigration law, with a focus on social justice and human rights.

The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Students for the sixth consecutive year.

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