As a student at CNU, Juan Diego Marroquin ('13) always sought to expand his horizons beyond the classroom. Whether by hosting a weekly radio program on WCNU, waxing philosophical with other students in Socrates' Café, CNU's philosophy club, or roaming the hallways in search of faculty with whom to have a stimulating conversation, he was always on the lookout for an experience.
And now, as Marroquin travels to Spain as a Fulbright Scholar with the Global Classrooms Model UN Project, he has truly expanded his reach outside the traditional four walls. Marroquin is one of fewer than 2,000 Fulbright Scholars selected annually in more than 140 countries worldwide. Participants are chosen for their academic excellence and leadership potential and undertake a wide array of international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching around the globe.
Marroquin's fellowship brings him to Cabezon de la Sal, a small town in the Cantabria region of Spain. Global Classrooms, a project designed to boost mutual understanding and interest between Spain and America, will require Marroquin to design a curriculum where he teaches English, as well as lessons in American history and culture. The project will culminate in a model UN conference. "I have to help put together the conference, provide informational material on countries to students and facilitate its overall success," he says.
A history and political science double major from Fairfax, Virginia, Marroquin had a rich experience on campus. He worked closely with Associate Professor of History Eric Duskin on a variety of activities, both in and out of class, from participating in politics, to submitting papers to conferences. Marroquin won first prize for European History in the 2013 Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society regional conference for a paper he wrote on the German Revolution of 1918-19. "Eric has a gift for motivating students," Marroquin says. "He is incredibly passionate about the subjects he teaches, and his classes completely engross you. But he also expects the best from all his students." He continues, "He believed in my abilities from the beginning." For Duskin, it was simply a matter of encouraging Marroquin to pursue his talent. "Juan Diego demonstrated an abiding desire to learn about the world we live in and a deep commitment to making the world a more just place for all people. I think he will ideally fill the role of a Fulbright Scholar as an American ambassador to the world. I could not be more proud of his accomplishments."
While at CNU, Marroquin was also active in the community through Americorps, the national service program. Marroquin completed more than 300 hours of community service through a local youth development organization in Hampton called Alternatives, which seeks to instill and reinforce positive values and character in inner-city youth. "We created fun after-school activities for kids, taught them how to read, and we also created programs designed to foster better relationships for them in their social lives," he says. Marroquin credits this experience with helping him win a Fulbright Scholarship. "My work with Americorps was ultimately what made my application successful," he says.
For Marroquin, it was CNU's small size that was attractive to him as an applicant. "CNU's smaller size allows students to have very close and intimate relationships with their professors. Lunches with professors are commonplace. A lot of times I'd just drop into their offices without any reason. I have made wonderful friendships with professors."
That opportunity for involvement is precisely the wisdom he offers future students. "Make your own fun," he says. "Invest in as many opportunities as you can. The University is still young, which means students still have an important role to play in defining the culture. But most importantly: Squeeze as much as you can out of the wonderful professors. Bug them constantly in their offices. Talk to them. You learn so much from them. You don't even have to be a diligent note taker to really learn something in class. Just go in, sit down and listen." -- Brian McGuire
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