New York, NY (PRWEB) September 05, 2016
The Bright!Tax Awards Committee is proud to announce that Kersey Schott has been awarded our most recent Bright!Tax Global Scholar Award.
The Bright!Tax Global Scholar Initiative supports the next generation of young Americans (US Citizens) who are studying or who wish to study overseas.
Kersey, who is also a Fulbright Scholar, is studying for her Master’s degree in European Studies at the University of Leipzig in Germany. She has struggled, though, to cover her academic and other scholastic costs due to strict rules limiting foreign students from working while they are studying in Germany.
Kersey is an active member of the local German community, participating and volunteering with numerous groups while demonstrating an awareness of her identity as an American and, as such, what she may be able to contribute as an American to the wider world.
Kersey says, “One of the challenges U.S. citizenship presents, for me, is that at times I have been immediately judged based on my nationality. When I introduce myself as an American, it can be somewhat disheartening if somebody automatically assumes that I only speak English and have not bothered to learn German, when in fact I have worked hard to master the language to fluency.
“However at the same time, when I encounter people who hold negative views of the United States, I see it as an opportunity for me to be a positive example (a real ambassador) and first to show an empathy and then also to share my personal views when I deem it may be appropriate.”
Kersey continues: “There have been occasions in the past few years when I have had eye-opening experiences by being able to see my own country through the lens of people with different backgrounds, perspectives and opinions from my own. An important aspect of spending time abroad is engaging in cultural exchange opportunities and challenging my own views.
“I am extremely grateful for the ways that my time living abroad so far has opened my perspective and has allowed me opportunities to broaden my world-view by encountering people and having experiences that I otherwise would not have had living back in the States.”
Bright!Tax Global Scholarships are awarded based on academic and extracurricular achievement, community involvement, future ambitions, individuals’ financial needs, and at the discretion of the Bright!Tax Awards Committee.
Gregory Dewald, Bright!Tax Founder and CEO, says:
“We are delighted for Kersey. She stood out in a strong field of over 150 applicants. Her enthusiasm, track record of academic excellence, and self-awareness of and positive attitude towards representing the ‘best of America’ abroad led the Awards Committee to consider her the perfect candidate for us to support in this awards cycle.”
With clients in over 150 countries worldwide, Bright!Tax is a leading provider of US tax services to the 9 million Americans living overseas. For more information visit https://brighttax.com.