STEUBENVILLE, OH — A Franciscan University of Steubenville alumna is one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a language teacher, thanks to her recent selection as a 2014-2015 Fulbright scholar.

Anna Sattler, who graduated in December 2013 with a degree in German and a minor in history, will pack her bags in August and head overseas for nine months to teach English to students in German schools.

“I was very excited and relieved that the wait for the news was over,” said Sattler of Oklahoma City. “I knew it was a highly competitive program and am honored to have been selected. There may have been some jumping up and down and excited squealing before I called my parents with the good news.”

Sattler joins the ranks of two fellow students and four Franciscan University professors who have received the prestigious award. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program enables Fulbright awardees to design their own course of study or research in over 140 countries. In 2012-2013, fewer than 20 percent of applicants were accepted to the English Teaching Assistantship Program worldwide; a total of 33 percent of applicants to the Germany program were accepted.

When she arrives in Germany late this summer, Sattler will be assigned to a German school in Bavaria as an assistant English teacher. She does not know grade level yet, but she will be working with elementary through high school age students for a full school year.

The Fulbright experience will pave Sattler’s way to reaching her goal of becoming a language teacher.

“I love languages in general, and German is a scholarly language with a vast body of literature, as well as an important business language,” she said. “Franciscan has one of the leading German language programs among Catholic universities. It was a real benefit to study German on the undergraduate level at Franciscan.”

With the help and encouragement of her German professor, Beate Engel-Doyle, and history professor Dr. Robert Doyle, also a Fulbright scholar, Sattler applied for Fulbright’s English Teaching Assistantship. Dr. Doyle, as well as fellow Franciscan Fulbright scholar Dr. David Schaefer, Communication Arts Department chair, advised Sattler throughout the application process.

Growing up, Sattler lived in Germany at different U.S. military installations. “I have fond memories of my childhood years in Stuttgart and Mainz,” she said. “I am excited for the opportunity to really be a part of Germany’s culture. I am particularly looking forward to getting involved in local parish life wherever I am placed.”

Other past Fulbright winners at Franciscan University are Dr. Edward Kovach, professor of computer science, who worked in Budapest; Dr. Robert Doyle, professor of history, who pursued research on U.S. treatment of POWs in Germany; Dr. Daniel Kempton, vice president for Academic Affairs, who received two Fulbrights — one to Rhodes University in South Africa, and the other to Tver State University in Russia; Dr. David Schaefer, chair of the Communication Arts Department, who received a teaching and research grant to work in Singapore; Bernadette Recznik ’11, who taught in Germany from 2011-2012; and Elijah Ferbrache ’12, who taught English and conducted educational research in Romania.

The Fulbright awards were established by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.