“My grandma is an immigrant from Taiwan. When I was studying abroad in South Korea, we did a little family reunion trip to Taiwan, where I met long-distance relatives. It was so much fun, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I would love to find a way to get back here.’

I’m planning on going to medical school, and I wanted to take a meaningful gap year. Through the Honors College, I learned about the Fulbright English Teaching Flagship Award in Taiwan. In my senior year, I started taking Mandarin classes. This English teaching opportunity was the perfect way for me to go abroad and improve my teaching and language skills.

I knew from a pretty young age that I wanted to be a doctor, but it wasn’t until college that I really started to see what that path could look like. I majored in psychology because I am really drawn to the mind-body connection and how our physical and mental health are related. One specialization I am interested in is child psychiatry. I’ve mentored older adolescents and college students, but I haven’t really worked with kids. I see my Fulbright year as a good trial to see how I like working with elementary school-aged children.

The Fulbright application process involves a lot of reflecting. It took months and so many revisions. You have to think about how your experiences inform your journey. That’s when I started to realize how much I love mentoring students. It was cool to see where I’d come from and where I’m going.

I think of experiences like this as an adventure. It’s a little scary. I’m moving abroad for a year, away from my family, but I’m excited to explore a new frontier. I like putting myself in uncomfortable positions that I haven’t been in before. I learned that from my study abroad experiences, and I want to challenge myself again.

Taiwan is also personal. I grew up with my grandma showing me different foods and traditions from Taiwan. I think it’ll be really meaningful to reconnect with that heritage and get a better understanding of that background. I am so excited for an opportunity that connects so many parts of who I am.”

— Tyler Beeston, Class of 2026, B.S. Honors Psychology, College of Social and Behavioral Science, Layton, Utah