Claire McGonigle ‘14 Receives Fulbright Award

"I love learning languages. I think it is so important. My time abroad will be a good chance to help other kids learn another language," she said. 

In large part, Claire attributes her interest in languages and exploring the world to her time at Calvert. One of her Fulbright application essays referenced her time in Seventh Age. "Every morning, a friend and I would draw and color maps. I have always had an interest in the world. I learned it at Calvert first. Then I was always surrounded by friends and family who encouraged and supported that interest." Claire looks forward to immersing herself in the culture of Tenerife and shared, "I'm excited to see the human side. It is an element of the language you don't get when studying in a classroom."

While at Vanderbilt, Claire interned with Apple and helped create an app. Her experience provided a first glimpse into a possible career path in technology. Claire enjoyed Apple's collaborative and creative environment and found some parallels to her time as a Calvert student. "There are a lot of mentors at Apple, similar to Calvert. You have people supporting you who want to see you try new things and succeed."

What does the future hold in store for Claire? She hopes to return to Apple following her Fulbright Scholar year. Eventually, she would like to merge her interests and explore how technology can assist with learning languages.

World travel will be a family affair for the McGonigles next year. Claire's brother Sean '16 is a student at Colorado College and plans to spend a semester studying abroad in Japan.