Fulbright Awards U.S. Student Grant to Marymount Manhattan Senior Annabelle Royer

Annabelle, who has studied three languages, including French, Spanish and Mandarin, intends to become fluent in Mandarin during her eleven months abroad. She also plans to study the educational differences between Taiwan and the United States – her experiences on her Fulbright trip will complement her time spent student teaching here.

Another main interest that drove Annabelle to seek her Fulbright Award was her interest in religion and theology.

“Taiwan has between 12 and 26 different official religions,” explains Annabelle. “They’re very accepting of a lot of different religions, and that’s something I want to explore both in terms of spirituality, for myself, but also from an academic perspective. It’s something I’m thinking about for graduate school.”

The Taiwan ETA grant, which is only extended to around 30 students annually, is a testament to Annabelle’s commitment to her academics at Marymount Manhattan. For Annabelle, who grew up in New Jersey, it also makes possible a very impressive next step after graduation. One of the most exciting parts for her, though, is just a little break from the pace she had to set in order to earn the award. 

“I’ve had a full time job since I was fifteen,” she laughs. “I’m excited just to have time to do things, to explore and to experience the culture.

Published: April 18, 2013