Caitlyn Pineault '16 Awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Mexico

Caitlyn Pineault ’16 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to Mexico. She will complete orientations in Washington D.C. and Mexico before beginning her fellowship in September.

At Oberlin, Pineault majored in Hispanic studies, minored in law and society, and completed an education concentration. She was involved in a number of extracurricular activities, including the arts and sciences orchestra her first and second years and the dance groups Movimiento and KOREO for one semester. She additionally competed for the Oberlin College Equestrian Team (OCET) and Oberlin College Dressage Team (OCDT) for four years. She served as captain of both OCET and OCDT for two years and as the secretary of Club Sports Council.

Pineault was also highly involved in the Spanish in the Elementary Schools (SITES) program all four years at Oberlin, serving as the first-grade coordinator for the past three years. “The SITES program was tremendously influential in my decision to apply for a Fulbright,” she says. “Because of SITES, I’ve learned how to create meaningful, student-centered lessons that make language learning communicative and exciting.”

The graduating senior says she is interested in pursuing a master’s degree in either foreign language education or curriculum development and eventually studying second language acquisition theory through an applied linguistics program following her fellowship. But for now, Pineault says she is eager to be in the front of the classroom. “I want to get more classroom experience so I have a foundational context for the research and academic work I hope to pursue,” she says. “I can’t think of a better way to further my education than to immerse myself in a foreign classroom. I am so excited to learn from my mentor-teacher and my students.”

Pineault credits her Oberlin education with teaching her to be more inquisitive and to be an increasingly active participant in the world around her. “(At Oberlin) I’ve learned how to listen deeply and think critically, and I’ve seen the power of sharing stories and personal experiences. I hope to utilize these skills in Mexico to foster a classroom in which student and teacher connect through a dialogue that inspires intercultural exchanges and a love of learning,” she says.