Zafira Demiri Receives Fulbright U.S. Student Award for 2026-2027

Zafira Demiri '24, an English graduate student at Monmouth University, has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to serve as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in the Czech Republic for the 2026-2027 academic year.

As an ETA, Demiri plans to begin a community engagement project in the form of a student-run art and literature magazine. The primary goal of the magazine is to feature bilingual poetry and art made by the students at her placement school and to provide students with an editorial and publishing opportunity. Demiri will also host open-mics where students can share their work in either English, Czech, or a mix of both with the members of their community. This experience will help her develop her pedagogical philosophies in supporting and building classroom spaces that allow bilingual speakers to flourish and fulfill their potential, something she considers essential in moving forward with her academic career.

Demiri, who is a child of Eastern European immigrants but grew up in the Western world, was drawn to Central Europe as a place where those two cultures meet. "I have always been interested in the literature coming out of the Czech Republic, and so I am excited to explore the cities that helped bring those stories to life," she shared. "Although, I am most excited to immerse myself in the language and culture, helping to support the bilingual competencies of my students and to promote a love of literature!"

Fulbright U.S. Students are graduating seniors, alumni, or graduate students and are coordinated through the Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA). The FPA at Monmouth is Associate Professor Meg Forney in the Department of Criminal Justice. Learn more about Monmouth's Fulbright program.

Fulbright provides opportunities for exceptional Americans and participants from 160 countries and locations to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. For eight decades, Fulbrighters have been leaders at the forefront of discovery and innovation, conducting cutting edge research, advancing critical industries, and preparing future generations with new skills and perspectives. Fulbrighters have included 46 heads of state or government, 63 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, 83 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders in all sectors and industries across the United States and around the world. 

Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.

The award competition for 2027-2028 Fulbright U.S. Student Awards opened on March 31, 2026. Learn more about Fulbright U.S. Student awards and eligibility.