After traveling to India during the summer halfway through her collegiate career to work with Mother Theresa’s mission organization, she fell in love with the place and the people and had hopes to return one day. She never could’ve guessed that it would be in this capacity.
The scholarship gives upperclassmen or recent graduates the opportunity to design their own project or study plan for one academic year in a country outside of the United States. It is open to those who are considering studying, teaching, or conducting research abroad for the following year. Cruz’s experience will afford her the opportunity to meet, work, and live with natives and encourages cultural interaction.
Three days after graduating from Seattle University this June, Cruz will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Fulbright committee consisting of government officials in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. During the three-day trip, she will receive training and learn more about logistical information regarding her trip.
After returning to Seattle to coach rowing over the summer, Cruz departs in September en route to New Delhi, India for nine months to conduct public health research working with the Ministry of Medicine. She will be doing qualitative and quantitative research, evaluating an app that doctors and nurses can utilize to help better assess and treat cancer in rural areas without otherwise access to care.
This work in India also ties directly into her work during summer 2015 in Seattle at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Cruz credits her four years at Seattle University for establishing her as a well-rounded member of society and for cultivating within her the ability to lead and create change for a just and humane world, in line with the SU mission.