Help Us Welcome the 2018-2019 Fulbright Scholars, Returning ALLEX Fellow

by Gabriella Cassidy, ’19

For yet another year, Stetson University’s language and intercultural programs received a boost from international language scholars.

Fernanda Ribeiro joins us from Brazil to teach Portuguese as a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant. She is a first-generation college student who graduated from Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro in 2015, earning a licentiate degree in Portuguese, English and their respective literatures. Ms. Ribeiro earned a Master’s degree in linguistics from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro this past February. She has been teaching Portuguese, English and Brazilian literature at language schools and preparatory courses since 2010. Immersed in and in love with the diversity and richness of her home country, Ribeiro brings to the United States a multifaceted approach to the Brazilian language and culture. She hopes to contribute to the expansion of teaching Portugese at Stetson.

Naila Shaqqur joins Stetson from Israel to teach Arabic as a Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant. She earned a bachelor of education degree in English literature and education at Gordon College of Education in Haifa, Israel in May, 2018. During her undergraduate studies, Ms. Shaqqur tutored and taught English as a foreign language in both elementary and high schools. She plans to earn a Master’s degree in English linguistics, something she became interested in during her studies. Ms. Shaqqur believes that teaching Arabic as a foreign language will help to bridge the social and cultural gaps between Americans and Arabs, and help each student expand their world and cultural views.

Renjing Lin returns to Stetson for a second year as Alliance for Language Learning and Educational Exchange (ALLEX) Fellow. He teaches Mandarin Chinese courses after having spent time teaching in Macau and Taiwan. Mr. Lin earned a bachelor of science degree in finance with specialization in financial engineering from the Unividade De Macua.

Stetson University brings Fulbright Language Teaching Assistants to campus each year. Scholars come to U.S. colleges and universities from around the globe to teach foreign languages and share cultural knowledge. They further their own research and education during their fellowship residency. The Fulbright program is an information and cultural exchange program which is very highly competitive. Likewise, the ALLEX Foundation enables universities to initiate or maintain high quality Chinese or Japanese language programs by providing professionally trained, native Chinese or Japanese instructors. 

Read about 2017-18 international language scholars
Read about 2016-17 international language scholars
Read about 2015-16 international language scholars


Stetson’s international language instructors are housed in the Department of WORLD Languages and Cultures. ALLEX Fellows are in residence for two academic years and Fulbright scholars serve one year. Language instructors are required to engage in professional development by taking courses at Stetson. Fellows also participate in New Faculty Orientation and other new faculty onboarding activities. The language instructor residency program is coordinated by WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning.

New International Instructors Boost Language Offerings at Stetson

Stetson University has collaborated again with the ALLEX Foundation to secure Asian language instructors and offer Mandarin Chinese courses.

ALLEX Fellow Renjing Lin joins Stetson University from Macau, China to offer Mandarin Chinese during the current academic year and through 2018-2019. His fellowship boosts Stetson’s ability to offer Mandarin to students consistently. Lin spent time teaching in Macau and Taiwan. His diverse experiences prepare him to bring multiple perspectives to the classroom.

“I really enjoy teaching here and a handful of students told me that they are also enjoying my class too”, said Lin. “I really like them and I am very happy that they are making progress day by day.”

Lin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance with specialization in financial engineering from the Unividade De Macua. Meizhou, his hometown, is in coastal Guangdong Province of southeast China that borders Hong Kong and Macau. 

The ALLEX Foundation enables universities to initiate or maintain high quality Chinese or Japanese language programs by providing professional trained, native Chinese or Japanese instructors. Lin is Stetson’s second ALLEX Fellow.

For a number of years, Stetson has collaborated with the Fulbright Program to attract Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs).

As FLTA at Stetson, Eman Elsayed Eltaher Mahmoud Abdelhalim of Alexandria, Egypt, joins the community to teach Arabic during the 2017-2018 academic year. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL) from Notting Hill College in Alexandria, Egypt.  She also holds a certificate in negotiation and mediation from the Susan Marbarak Women’s International Peace Movement Institute for Peace Studies and the U.N. affiliated University for Peace.

Abdelhalim is already making an impact on campus. She recently served as a panelist at the Call for Action: Waging Peace discussion during Stetson’s celebration of U.N. International Day of Peace. She has a clear goal in mind as she continues to develop as a teacher.

“I want to make a significant change in the Egyptian education system to implement the modern and innovative techniques, especially for young learners”, she said.

Greici Buzzi joins Stetson from Brazil to teach Portuguese. Buzzi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English/Portuguese. She currently works with Pamela Cappas-Toro, Ph.D., assistant professor of World Languages and Cultures (Spanish), to offer Portuguese 101 and Portuguese 102 courses which are open to all students.

Hailing from Rodeio, Brazil, a Santa Catarina municipality in the south region of Brazil, Buzzi applied to the FLTA program to achieve two goals.

“This opportunity puts together the two things I pursue the most at this moment: (a) learning more about the American culture and about the English Language itself; and (b) teaching Portuguese”, said Buzzi.

An avid music fan, she has played guitar and piano since she was six years old from which she has learned discipline, determination and patience.

Welcome to HatterNation!

Read about 2015-16 international language scholars
Read about 2016-17 international language scholars


Stetson’s language instructors are housed in the Department of WORLD Languages and Cultures. ALLEX fellows are in residence for two academic years and Fulbright scholars serve one year. Language instructors are required to engage in professional development by taking courses at Stetson. Fellows also participate in New Faculty Orientation and other new faculty onboarding activities. The language instructor residency program is coordinated by WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning.