Asian studies / English double major
Fulbright-Hays Fellow in Taiwan
Hometown
Leonardtown, Maryland
"We have a number of faculty that have received Fulbright awards and fellowships, and they have continued to use their experiences to encourage students like myself to apply for similar opportunities. As someone who grew up in rural Maryland, I never considered that fellowships like the Fulbright were attainable for someone like me, but my professors saw something in me that I could not see myself, and encouraged me to apply...I could not have achieved that without their support, which all students at SMCM receive during their time at the institution."
Summer LaRocco was one of two SMCM students to receive a prestigious Fulbright-Hays Fellowship for Advanced Overseas Chinese Language Study worth $7,000 for the summer of 2024. Her summer on the other side of the world is one of many feathers in her cap, so to speak; she also serves as the student member of the Board of Trustees, student ambassador coordinator, music director for the co-ed a capella group InterChorus, a principal player with the SMCM orchestra, secretary of the Asian Pacific Islander American Club (APAC) and a peer mentor/tutor.