Birmingham-area native and recent Pepperdine University graduate Tessa McClinton’s academic path, rooted in a passion for languages and diplomacy, has led her to the Balkan Peninsula. Tessa was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship to teach English in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, where she’ll spend the next 10 months helping high school students strengthen their grammar and speaking skills—all while deepening her own understanding of Bulgarian language and culture.
Tessa McClinton
“I was initially very surprised when I received the email notification,” Tessa says of learning she had been selected. “Then I felt incredibly grateful. I began the application process about 10 months prior to the final decision, so it was both a gift and a relief to receive such news! I immediately told my parents and started planning on how to get myself ready to make such a big move.”
Tessa earned her degree in international studies and Italian studies at Pepperdine University, where she also took part in the university’s study abroad program in Florence and spent a semester in Washington, DC. Those experiences laid “a strong foundation in intercultural communication and understanding different ways of life. Studying in Florence was my first experience abroad, and it allowed me to put those skills into practice through full cultural immersion,” she says. During her time in DC, Tessa met Pepperdine alumni who had completed English teaching grants post-graduation. Her cohort took a trip to Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, which gave Tessa her first look at South Slavic cultures. “I was immediately captivated. That experience, on top of a distant family relation to Bulgaria, inspired me to apply for the Fulbright position.”
Upon returning to Pepperdine, Tessa served as an Italian language tutor for two semesters, and she spent a summer in Birmingham as a second-grade special education paraprofessional. These classroom immersions helped shape her teaching approach and affirmed her desire to pursue cross-cultural education. “I also learned how important it is to recognize and adapt to each student’s learning style. By paying attention to how my students learn best, I can tailor my material and approach,” she says. In addition, Tessa says her time learning Italian showed her how important it is to teach beyond textbook language. “Focusing not just on grammar and technicalities, but also on real-world applications of the language helps students practice English in authentic settings. From my experiences as both a student and a mentor, I know that students appreciate when teachers show genuine enthusiasm in the subject and are passionate about helping them succeed.”
Tessa will work closely with a native teacher in Bulgaria, aiding her as she also helps students become more confident English speakers. “I plan to encourage my students to do most of the talking in the classroom to keep them engaged and actively using the language. I also hope to use stories or current events to help make language learning more fun,” she says.
Although she’s living far from her home state now, Tessa’s roots are firmly planted in Alabama. She grew up just outside Birmingham and attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA), where she specialized in creative writing. “ASFA’s curriculum allowed me to explore stories from a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds,” she says. “It also allowed me to play with the English language in my writing. Both of those things sparked my curiosity in other cultures and languages.”
Tessa McClinton
Tessa’s academic and global experiences shaped her identity as a thoughtful cultural ambassador—something she takes seriously. “Being a respectful representative of the United States means listening and learning first,” she says. “I want to create a classroom where there is space for open dialogue, self-expression, and mutual respect. I believe it is important to offer a nuanced perspective of American life and culture that allows my students to feel well-rounded in their knowledge and excited to learn more. It is also important to be just as eager to learn from my students as it is to teach them about my own culture.”
As she prepares to dive into this new adventure, Tessa notes that’s she is looking forward to building community—both in and out of the classroom—that encourages cross-cultural exchange and enriching cultural immersion. “The Bulgarian language is unlike any that I have studied before. I developed an appreciation of South Slavic languages and cultures when I was in Croatia and Bosnia, so I’m looking forward to immersing myself in Bulgarian culture, language, and cuisine,” she says. “More personally, I have a distant family relation to Bulgaria that has always been a bit unclear in my family history, so it is meaningful to be able to bring knowledge of this culture to my family back home!”
The Fulbright Fellowship is a stepping stone toward Tessa’s career goals. “I hope this experience will broaden my understanding of both Bulgarian culture and general cross-cultural communication and deepen my skills to better prepare me for working in future international contexts,” she says. “It’s exciting to work in a country and with a culture that’s less familiar to me than Italian.” As she embarks on this next chapter, she carries with her not only the skills and knowledge gained at Pepperdine and in Birmingham, but also a curiosity that make her an ideal Fulbright Fellow. “I’m most excited to build a strong community, both within and outside of the classroom,” she says. “And I’m thrilled to bring my experience back home with me.”