Cassidy Jones, a fresh Westminster College graduate, has won a Fulbright grant to teach English in Turkey.

Jones, an honors student majoring in English, spent last summer in Madagascar, the large island off Africa’s east coast, researching environmental themes in oral folklore. The experience inspired her to apply for an English Teaching Assistantship under the Fulbright Scholars Program.

"It’s something that’s perfectly suited to me and my interests. I studied in Madagascar last spring and it rocked my world," Jones said in a news release. "I realized that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to go abroad."

She is the first recipient of a Fulbright ETA in the history of the private Salt Lake City college. Jones will be assigned to work out of a university in eastern Turkey during the coming academic year. She picked Turkey because of her interest in Muslim culture and her belief that the Middle East is an important area to engage and understand. Jones eventually wants to works as a diplomat or a journalist.

"We are all very proud of Cassidy’s accomplishments and are excited to see what the future holds for her," said Tim Dolan, Westminster’s director of undergraduate research and fellowships, in the news release. "Westminster College has a long history of engaging bright, motivated students and helping them discover their academic and civic strengths, and preparing them for graduate school and careers."