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ATLANTA— Georgia State University graduate student Nasra Farah Qasim (B.A. ’25) has taken her passion for language education abroad as a Fulbright English teaching assistant at Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya, Turkey.
Qasim, who began the assistantship in September, is pursuing a master’s degree in applied linguistics at Georgia State. She graduated in fall 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a concentration in public relations, a minor in applied linguistics and a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language. Georgia State recently recognized Qasim as one of the university’s graduate student recipients of a 2026 Fulbright award.
For Qasim, the award represents an important step toward a career she began envisioning as an undergraduate.
“At the time, I knew I wanted to teach abroad, but I wasn’t completely sure how I wanted to pursue it or whether it would become a long-term career,” Qasim said.
Her path became clearer during an internship with Georgia State’s Department of Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language. There, she worked closely with Robin Cathey, associate director of the Intensive English Program, and John Bunting, the program’s director.
Both mentors are Fulbright alumni, and their experiences prompted Qasim to learn more about the program.
“They encouraged me to look into applying, which inspired me to do my own research,” she said. “As I learned more about Fulbright, I realized that many recipients had used the experience to build successful long-term careers in English language teaching and international education.”
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides opportunities for graduate students, recent graduates, young professionals and artists to study, conduct research or teach English abroad. The program emphasizes not only academic and professional goals, but also meaningful engagement with the people and communities of a host country.
Conversations with doctoral students in applied linguistics also helped Qasim understand the range of careers available in the field and reinforced her interest in international education.
When she was ready to apply, Qasim connected with Marc Reyes, the associate director of the Office of Academic Assistance and a Fulbright alumnus himself. Reyes helped her consider potential host countries and strengthen the story she wanted her application to tell.
Last summer, Qasim worked with the Community-Based Academic English Program at Georgia State’s Clarkston Campus. The experience allowed her to work directly with English language learners and experienced educators while preparing her Fulbright materials.
Every few weeks, she met with Reyes to review her essays and discuss revisions.
“His guidance helped me make each draft stronger,” Qasim said.
By the end of the summer, Qasim had completed the three essays required for her application. She then met with Georgia State’s Fulbright campus committee, whose members offered additional feedback before she submitted her materials in October.
The campus review process is designed to help applicants refine their ideas, sharpen their writing and demonstrate how their experiences have prepared them for a particular country and award.
Qasim was named a semifinalist in January and learned in April that she had been selected as a Fulbright finalist.
The award will allow her to build on the teaching, communication and cross-cultural skills she developed at Georgia State while contributing to the university community in Konya. It also advances the professional direction she began exploring through her coursework, internship and work with English language learners.
Lisa Armistead, dean of The Graduate School, said Georgia State’s graduate student Fulbright recipients embody the “curiosity, purpose and commitment” the university hopes to foster in its students.
Qasim credits a network of faculty members, advisers and mentors with helping her navigate the competitive application process. Her advice to other students is to begin seeking that support early and use the resources available at Georgia State.
“The application process can feel overwhelming, but it is absolutely worth the effort,” she said. “Throughout the process, I met incredible mentors, learned more about myself and grew both personally and professionally.”
She also encourages prospective applicants not to underestimate the value of sustained feedback.
— Story by Tiffany (Orr) Harte, Communications Manager, The Graduate School