Patrick Funderburg is a Fulbright Semi-Finalist
Patrick Funderburg
M.F.A., Creative Writing
Fulbright Program: English Teaching Assistant, France
Texas State Faculty Member: Drs. Peter Golato and Carole Martin from Modern Languages and Mr. Jason Coates and Dr. Kathryn Ledbetter from English
Patrick, a former Marine and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, overhead a conversation in French while deployed and, captivated by its cadence, decided to pursue French academically, eventually graduating with a B.A. in English and French from Texas State. Now, as a first-year student in the M.F.A. program, he's searching between the lines for the minds behind them: his Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose proposes to develop novel opportunities for English-language learners to read, comprehend, and analyze Southwestern short stories and other American fictions that share common images and themes in French and American culture. Additionally, he would like to emphasize writing not only as a means of building their capacity with the written English word but also as an opportunity to discover a Texan or American perspective through the creative exploration of character, setting, and theme. He plans to infuse his thesis narrative with the experiences and perspectives gained by time in France should he receive the Fulbright award.