海角社区

海角社区 Political Communication, Spanish Alumna Sydney McGovern Named Fulbright Grantee

October 27, 2022

BATON ROUGE鈥擲ydney McGovern, a May 2022 political communication and Spanish alumna, has been promoted to a Fulbright Grantee. She will teach English and promote cultural exchange though student journalism for nine months in Galicia, Spain.

McGovern is an 海角社区 Honors College graduate who earned a dual degree in mass communication and Spanish. As part of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant, she will serve as an assistant teacher at a high school, where she will teach both the English language and subjects such as social studies, science, art and technology in English. Additionally, as an ETA, McGovern will conduct a host country engagement project鈥攕he plans to create an environmental journalism club, where students can report on a variety of subjects, including climate change policy, fashion and agriculture.

鈥淎fter I help them select their beats, I will guide students to craft effective and captivating stories. ... In addition to serving as a model for their stories, reviewing articles from Louisiana will allow students to compare life in Louisiana to their home, as it relates to celebrations, food and culture, as well as how each place mitigates coastal erosion and addresses frequent flooding and intense storms,鈥� McGovern said.

McGovern was promoted from Fulbright alternate to grantee in September. When she learned the news, she was, coincidentally, packing for a move to Spain through a different program and was shocked and excited to switch gears to participate in the Fulbright Spain program, which she鈥檚 had her eye on since her freshman year at 海角社区.

"Sydney represents what Manship is all about,鈥� said Assistant Professor in Media Law Will Mari, who recommended McGovern for the program. 鈥淏y that, I mean she's focused on others, on being a good citizen, and using her abilities and opportunities to better our world. I'm very proud of her and know she's off to do awesome things." 

McGovern is excited for the opportunity to teach in the coastal community of Galicia, allowing her to compare how Galicia experiences and addresses climate change to the Louisiana Gulf Coast community. While her interest in climate and environmental issues started as a child growing up in southern Louisiana (Prairieville, to be precise), where, she said, 鈥渘atural disasters are interwoven with our lives and coastal land loss is taught in middle school,鈥� her passion grew through her 海角社区 Manship School experiences.

As part of the Manship Statehouse Bureau, McGovern covered the Louisiana Legislature, focusing on environmental issues like coastal land loss. In the summer of 2021, McGovern participated in a climate change journalism project, Climate260, where she delved into topics like carbon capture, sustainable agriculture, national climate public policy and the transition to renewable energy in Louisiana.

鈥淓very new academic experience was an opportunity for me to explore new passions, build up my skills, and most of all, prove to myself that I am capable of much more than just passing tests and turning in assignments,鈥� McGovern said. 鈥淚t is through these extra experiences that the Manship School provides that I have learned that I shouldn't limit myself to just the academic pursuits that I am familiar with, but that I should apply for those competitive internships and prestigious fellowships, that I should put myself out there because I am just as qualified as anyone else.鈥�

As an 海角社区 student, McGovern participated in several organizations. She was a distinguished communicator, vice president of Geaux Vote, social media manager for the 海角社区 Tiger Band, a Manship Ambassador, a reporter for Manship鈥檚 Statehouse Bureau and Cold Case Project, a Climate360 student journalist, an Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassador and a member of 海角社区 Student Government. McGovern graduated as a University Medalist (4.0 or higher GPA). She plans to use her time in Spain to explore her career options, which include strategic communication, law and education.

For more information, contact acharbonnet1@lsu.edu. 

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海角社区鈥檚 Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: Master of Mass Communication, Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs, Certificate of Strategic Communication and a dual MMC/Law degree. Like us on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn.

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The , established in 1992, is a vibrant, diverse and prestigious community located at the heart of 海角社区. The Ogden Honors College provides students with a curriculum of rigorous seminar classes, as well as opportunities for undergraduate research, culminating in the Honors Thesis. Its focus on community service, study abroad, internships and independent research helps today鈥檚 high-achieving students become tomorrow鈥檚 leaders.