Rivers Alumnae Molly Barstow ’09 and Esther Burson ’06 Receive Fulbright Grants

Molly Barstow '09 is currently on a Fulbright in Morocco, studying whether refugees successfully integrate into Moroccan society, with a social look at the integration of Sub-Saharan refugees in a neighborhood in Rabat. Esther Burson '06 received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) at the Hellenic American Educational Foundation in Athens, Greece.

 

"I work in the school's University Applications Counseling Office, advising students who want to study in the United States," Burson said. " I teach SAT prep courses, and I help students write their admissions essays and select their list of colleges to apply to."

 

Burson said it was her experience at Rivers that inspired her to pursue this endeavor. While at Rivers, Burson was a high honors student who was very active in drama productions and the school newspaper. She also founded the French Club and was the recipient of The Otto Alcaide Language Prize for French.

 

"I've been interested in college counseling since my time at Rivers, when Mr. [Rick] Rizoli and the Rivers College Counseling Office introduced me to the process," she said. "I was fortunate to go through this stressful process of college applications at Rivers with support and guidance from talented, friendly professionals."

 

Now, Burson--who studied Psychology with a second major in Classics at Swarthmore College and is in the midst of applying to PhD programs to study psychology and social policy—has the opportunity to offer that same support to students in Athens while also enjoying her time exploring Greece.

 

Barstow was eager for a chance to return to Morocco after having studied abroad there while earning her undergraduate degree at Northwestern University. Having a Fulbright has provided the perfect opportunity.

 

"I knew going into my senior year of college that I wanted to spend at least a year back in Morocco after graduation," she said. "I also knew I wanted to continue research that I had done both while studying abroad and for my senior thesis, which was to study sub-Saharan refugees in Rabat. Applying for a Fulbright quickly became my top priority for accomplishing this goal."

 

Barstow chose to focus on sub-Saharan refugees because, due to racial tensions and discrimination, they are more marginalized than other refugees. She is currently in the midst of a six-month period in which she is studying Moroccan Arabic, after which she will spend nine months conducting research in what she calls her "second home." The second phase of her studies will begin in March.

 

"I'll largely be doing ethnographies, which means spending the better part of my day with refugees in their homes and observing them as they go about their daily lives," she said.

 

When her Fulbright ends, Barstow, who was an all-New England skier while at Rivers and was very active in Rivers Givers, plans to pursue a masters and a PhD in social anthropology in order to continue studying marginalized migrants.

 

Both Barstow and Burson agree that Fulbright grants, a U.S. government-sponsored program that funds international research exchange, present unique and unparalleled opportunities to those eager to further their studies.

 

"It's a wonderful opportunity to live and travel abroad," Burson said. "When I decided to go to graduate school, the Fulbright program was the perfect way to grow and gain new experiences before going back to school."