W&L’s Julia Foxen ’21 Awarded U.S. Teaching Assistantship in Austria Foxen’s USTA position with Fulbright Austria starts in October 2021.

By Erica Turman
June 16, 2021

Washington and Lee University graduate Julia Foxen ’21 has received a U.S. Teaching Assistantship (USTA) with Fulbright Austria. At W&L, Foxen was a global politics major, and she double minored in German and poverty and human capability studies.

“This award is an incredible opportunity that will not only improve my German and teaching skills, but also allow me to meet people from all different walks of life,” Foxen said. “I am so excited to be submerged in an entirely new culture. I look forward to finding a new favorite coffee shop, hiking and skiing in a new mountain range, and, most importantly, learning new perspectives and ways of seeing the world.”

Foxen will leave for Austria in September 2021 and begin the USTA program in October. During her time abroad, Foxen will teach English at secondary schools in the province of Salzburg.

During her time at W&L, Foxen was involved in multiple extracurricular activities, including as a peer counselor, a key staff member for the Outing Club, a member of W&L General Admission a cappella group, a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, a pre-orientation head trip leader, and a member of Kathekon.

After completing the USTA program, Foxen plans to attend graduate school for foreign service or international relations to continue pursuing her interests in the field.

“Alongside first-hand classroom experience and developing language skills, the fundamental goal of the program is to facilitate meaningful cross-cultural exchange,” Foxen said. “This program will be of incredible support for my studies as I hope to pursue a career in foreign service and diplomacy.”

Since 1962, Fulbright Austria has partnered with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) to bring qualified, motivated university graduates from the United States to teach English in Austrian secondary schools.

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