Hey, y'all! My name is Olivia Gardner, and I am so excited to share my journey with you! I am 22 years old and a 2024 graduate of High Point University. My alma mater was only a quick shot down the road from my tiny hometown in the beautiful state of North Carolina, so I have always stayed pretty close to home.
I was lucky enough to study abroad for a bit in Sevilla, Spain, and I now live in Cuenca, Ecuador where I work as an English Teaching Assistant for the U.S. Fulbright Program. At HPU, I studied Spanish and Journalism with a focus in legal studies and hope to work as an immigration attorney when I return to NC.
During my college years, I served as my sorority's president, vice president, and academic chairman, played intramural and club softball, and captained the school's mock trial team for a bit. In my senior research thesis, I focused on the disproportionate rate of wrongful convictions of Latinos in the United States and the environmental factors that led to those sentences. Apart from school, I enjoy nature, writing, coffee, my two dogs, and anything that has to do with food! I am eager to share with you the culture and beauty of Ecuador and look forward to meeting y'all very soon - ciao!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
