RELEASED: May 19, 2005

DANVILLE, KY—Hillary Monroe has always wanted to spend an extended amount of time overseas and now she will—as a Fulbright Scholarship winner. Monroe's Fulbright will help pay for her expenses while she teaches English to elementary students in Nancy-Metz, a region in France.

Monroe, a double major in French and government from Madison, Ind., will start her assistantship in October and stay until June.

Monroe says living a France will give her the opportunity to use and refine the French language skills she's acquired at Centre.

She's looking forward to gaining a "better understanding of the culture and the country and taking a look at the government."

She's also excited about the interaction with her students and working on her supplementary project, which will measure how much French students know about politics and government compared to students in the United States.

Monroe decided she wanted to go back to France after making a trip during the 2003 CentreTerm, the College's intensive three-week January term. On that venture Monroe and her class traveled through Switzerland and France, making stops in Geneva, Strasbourg and Paris.

She credits her Centre French professors Karin Ciholas, Van Winkle Professor of Language, and Patrice Mothion, associate professor of French, with helping her prepare applications, evaluating language skills and writing recommendations for her.

Although, she's looking forward to the new challenge, she admits she's a little nervous. "Being in charge of educating students is a big pressure," she says.

Monroe graduates from Centre on May 22. After her time abroad she plans to attend law school at Indiana University. She hopes this distinctive experience will make her a more attractive law school candidate.

Monroe was heavily involved while on campus as a member of the dance team, Student Government Association, The Cento, Pi Sigma Alpha (government honor society), Centre College Republicans and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

"I never imagined how much of an impact Centre would be on me," Monroe says. "The friends and professors I've encountered have prepared me for life and will help me succeed in my future endeavors. I could have gone to other schools, but I know I made the right decision come to Centre. It's where I'm supposed to be."

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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