Returning to Spain Through Art and Cultural Exchange – Cooper Clendenin '24

Cooper Clendenin '24 studied in Granada in southern Spain during his spring 2023 semester. His Fulbright takes him to the village of Albelda de Iregua in northern Spain. A Spanish major and sociology minor at SMCM, his supplemental project stems from his St. Mary’s Project, promoting artistic expression as cultural preservation. He plans to work with his Spanish students to create mini murals that act as visual representations of their culture and heritage and to compare those to that of the U.S. A varsity soccer player at St. Mary’s College, Clendenin sought out pickup soccer games while in Granada. In Albelda de Iregua, he plans to join a local amateur soccer team. Clendenin is quick to thank his coach and professors for their help with his Fulbright application process. “I have so much gratitude for their guidance and willingness to write on my behalf for my Fulbright application,” he says. “Professor Jennifer Cognard-Black was my Fulbright application mentor, and she helped me tremendously with navigating through the whole application process and helping me revise my essays. I truly don't think I would have gotten this grant without her.” Fluent in Spanish, Clendenin intends to add Portuguese to his portfolio in his quest to become a foreign service officer and one day an ambassador.