Flor Castellanos is going to Thailand to teach English to school children.

A staff member and recent graduate of Texas Tech University received a scholarship from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Flor Castellanos, who graduated in December with a bachelor's degree in German, was accepted to Thailand to teach English to middle school- or high school-aged children. She leaves Sept. 25 to teach for an entire academic year.

Originally from Laverne, Oklahoma, Castellanos serves as an international alumni specialist in the Office of International Affairs at Texas Tech.

“It's very exciting, and it was a long process getting here,” she said. “It's an honor and a privilege to earn a Fulbright. I know a lot of applicants went through what I went through, and knowing only a small amount of people were chosen from the entirety of students who applied makes me feel very honored to have this experience. I'm really excited to see where my life will go after I return. I'm excited to see what changes I will go through and what I will learn getting to immerse myself in the Thai culture.”

Castellanos is one of about 1,800 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2014-2015 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. “Students such as Flor represent the rich, academic tradition we have a Texas Tech University, and I am proud to congratulate her on this recognition,” said Texas Tech President M. Duane Nellis. “Texas Tech provides its students with a strong foundation on which to continue their educations in preparation for their contributions to our futures.”

The program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year and operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Congressional appropriation for the Fulbright Program in fiscal year 2013 was $242.8 million.

Lynne Fallwell, Fulbright U.S. Student Program advisor at Texas Tech and director of national and international scholarships & fellowships, said she was proud of Castellanos' hard work.

“Obtaining a Fulbright U.S. Student Grant demonstrates the high quality of our student's project proposal,” Fallwell said. “It shows that obtaining this prestigious scholarship is feasible, and it is my hope that this year's success encourages more students to apply to the Fulbright program in the upcoming years.”