UMD Senior Biological Sciences Major Sarahann Yeh Awarded Fulbright Scholarship
Sarahann Yeh, a University of Maryland senior majoring in biological sciences and minoring in international development and conflict management, has been awarded a 2016-17 Fulbright U.S. Student Grant to teach English in Indonesia.
While in Indonesia, Yeh will provide assistance to the local English teachers, teach and serve as a cultural ambassador for the United States. She intends to volunteer at local women and children’s clinics to better understand maternal and child health in Indonesia and further her knowledge of global health.
“When I came to college, I wanted to be on the front lines of providing medical care in developing countries. But the more I studied and traveled, the more I realized how interconnected and complicated international issues truly are, and that healthcare is but one of many social issues for which I feel passionate,” says Yeh. “In order to become a more active citizen, I want to learn about other cultures and perspectives, and the Fulbright scholarship gives me this opportunity.”
In 2013, Yeh spent two months in Indonesia to study Bahasa, the official language of Indonesia, as a Department of State Critical Language Scholar. In addition, she has studied abroad for one semester in Shanghai, China, with the support of a Gilman Scholarship; participated in an Alternative Breaks trip in Los Andes, Guatemala; and traveled independently to seven other countries. Yeh will participate in the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program this summer at the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Office in Lilongwe, Malawi. Yeh first found her passion for social change in Alternative Breaks, working with community organizations focused on sustainable development, human trafficking and Native American rights.
After returning from her year in Indonesia, Yeh plans on pursuing a master’s degree in public health or international affairs, gain experience in international health development projects, and ultimately join the U.S. Foreign Service as a public diplomacy officer.
Yeh is a Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar and an alumna of the College Park Scholars Life Sciences program and of the Global Semester: Science Diplomacy program. On campus, she is involved with the Maryland LEAD Program, Alternative Breaks, Guided Study Sessions and Omicron Delta Kappa.
