
Two St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) alumni, Cooper Clendenin ’24 and Eleanor “Ellie” Walter ’24, received Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) awards in Spain for the 2025-2026 year from the U.S Department of State.
Professor of English Jennifer Cognard-Black, Ph.D., the inaugural director of national fellowships and awards, said this is the second consecutive year St. Mary’s College has had at least one SMCM graduate receive a teaching Fulbright, as Surisitee Mortiram '23 was awarded one to Colombia last year.
The ETA program is designed to assist local English teachers in classrooms throughout the world.
Clendenin, who majored in international languages and cultures: Spanish, with a minor in sociology, said he was excited about the project as a whole as it aligns with all of his passions and his schooling. He will be supporting English education and facilitating cultural exchange at a school in the village of Albelda de Iregua, located outside of the capital city of the Logroño region of Spain. As his supplementary project, he plans to lean into the topic of artistic expression as cultural preservation, by working with students to explore how the different forms of art found in Spain and the rest of the world can act as cultural preservers. Clendenin said the idea is inspired by his St. Mary's Project (SMP) “The Sociopolitical Context of Street-Art in Argentina.”
Outside of grant work, he plans to engage with the community through soccer. “This was the best way that I connected with locals when I studied abroad in Spain during the spring of 2023,” the four year men’s soccer student-athlete said.
“None of this would've been possible though without the support of all my professors, advisors and coaches at St. Mary's,” Clendenin said. “I'm so grateful for this opportunity and everyone/everything that has helped me achieve this goal.”
Walter, who double majored in neuroscience and international languages and cultures: Spanish, and minored in environmental studies and music, will support educators and cultural exchange activities in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands in Spain. She said she was excited to receive the ETA grant in Tenerife as it is “such a beautiful and unique part of Spain.”
Outside of the classroom, Walter said her supplementary project will tie into her background in neuroscience and environmental research. “I’m planning to explore how connection with nature can support cognitive and emotional well-being, and I hope to engage youth in conversations around mental health and community,” she said. Walter plans to engage with the community by joining a local choir.
“It feels incredibly meaningful to bring together my majors, minors and extracurriculars from St. Mary’s College. I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received during my time at SMCM and from [Cognard-Black] during the application process,” Walter said. “I know these experiences helped lead me to this opportunity.”