How I Secured a Fully Funded Academic Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States Through the UMass Civic Initiative's Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program

My name is María Teresa Zazzali, and I am from Corrientes, Argentina, a province in the northeastern part of the country that borders Paraguay, Brazil, and Uruguay.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Social Communication from the National University of the Northeast (UNNE). From a very young age, I have always been an incredibly curious person. I have never been satisfied with staying in my comfort zone; instead, I have constantly sought new experiences that would help me grow. I firmly believe that opportunities are created, not simply found. Whenever I set a goal for myself, I commit to achieving it. One of my greatest dreams was to earn a scholarship to study abroad.

While I was in my fourth year of university, I worked simultaneously for local and national media outlets, primarily in radio broadcasting. Journalism was never just a job to me; it was my passion and my calling.

At the same time, I taught Journalism and Communication at a rural high school, working with fifteen-year-old students. From the beginning, I decided that I did not want to evaluate them solely through traditional exams. I believed that the best way to learn was through practice. Together, we interviewed public officials, reported stories in the community, created the school's newspaper, and developed real communication projects.

Many of my students came from families where no one had ever attended college. Watching them begin to dream about a different future became one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Several of them eventually enrolled in university. It was during that time that I discovered another passion: education.

In 2017, I made a life-changing decision. I resigned from all of my jobs, paused my university studies, and moved to the United States to participate in an au pair exchange program.

Although the work experience was not what I had expected, it became one of the most transformative periods of my life. I studied Grammar & Conversation at Pace University in New York, improved my English, prepared for the TOEFL exam, met people from all over the world, and, most importantly, learned a great deal about myself.

One person I remember fondly is my professor, Theresa. Besides teaching English, she helped us prepare professional résumés in English and encouraged us to pursue international opportunities.

I returned to Argentina in July of that year and landed my first job as a television journalist. As a field reporter, I spent my days covering stories throughout the city. Soon afterward, other media organizations began reaching out with new opportunities.

Curiosity has always been the driving force behind my career.

During a radio interview, I met a Fulbright alumnus who had participated in a program at NASA. Our conversation reignited my dream of studying abroad. I remember telling myself, "I already have the 'no'; now I'm going after the 'yes.'"

In 2018, I resumed my university studies and began working at the Ministry of Public Health in Corrientes, where I discovered the world of digital communication and community management, a field that was just beginning to emerge in Argentina.

That same year, I received an email informing me that I had been selected for the first stage of the Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program, an intensive one-week academic program at the University of San Andrés, taught by professors from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

I was the only participant from northern Argentina and the only journalist in the cohort. That experience confirmed that I wanted to continue pursuing international education.

At the end of the program, we had to take a final exam. Although I had studied hard, my nerves got the better of me, and I was unable to complete it as well as I had hoped. I chose to be honest with the professor and explained exactly what had happened.

A few months later, in February 2019, while preparing to move to Buenos Aires after accepting a position at one of Argentina's major media organizations, I received an email that I will never forget: I had been selected for a one-month academic program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst through the Fulbright Program.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Yet during that very same experience, I also faced the most difficult moment of my personal journey.

While I was studying in Massachusetts, a former journalism colleague sent me a photograph informing me that my father had died in a car accident.

It was the most profound emotional turning point of my life.

When I returned to Argentina, I realized that the person who had always been waiting for me at the airport would never be there again.

For a while, I continued working as a journalist for a newspaper, but the grief eventually led me back to my hometown of Corrientes. I no longer found meaning in practicing journalism in the same way.

One day, I sat down with a blank sheet of paper and listed every skill I had developed throughout my academic and professional journey.

That exercise changed everything.

I realized that journalism, communication, education, marketing, international education, and all the experiences I had accumulated could come together to create something entirely new.

That is how Café Studio was born.

What began as the deepest pain of my life eventually became the most meaningful professional project I have ever built: a strategic communication and neuromarketing consultancy that now helps organizations in different countries grow by applying behavioral science and communication to create stronger brands, better leadership, and more meaningful connections with people.

Looking back, I understand that every experience, every success, every setback, and every opportunity played a role in shaping the professional and the person I am today.

UMass Civic Initiative's Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program Details

The scholarship I received was the UMass Civic Initiative's Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program, an international academic experience that became a turning point in both my personal and professional development.

The scholarship covered 100% of the program's expenses, just as it did for all of the selected participants. We had the privilege of being part of the last cohort to complete the program in person before it was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

During my university studies, I was also awarded a CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council) scholarship from 2018 to 2019, during which I began my research for my final thesis.

I also received a 50% scholarship to undertake a training program at Editorial Perfil in Buenos Aires in 2019. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete the program because, after returning from the United States, I was not emotionally able to cope with the situation my father was going through.

Educational Background

I studied for a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communication at the National University of the Northeast (UNNE) in Argentina. In 2015, I obtained an intermediate degree of Technical Degree in Journalism, which allowed me to start working professionally while continuing with my studies.

In 2022, I finally obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communication. During those years, I had the opportunity to travel and participate in different scholarships and academic experiences, which delayed the completion of my thesis. I eventually completed it with a final grade of 9/10.

Although my grades throughout the degree were not particularly high and my overall GPA was 7.85/10, I consider one of my main strengths to be my ability to put knowledge into practice. I am much more practically oriented than theoretically oriented. I enjoy understanding concepts, but above all, I am interested in finding ways to apply them to real-world situations and achieve tangible results.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Massachusetts Amherst?

I first heard about the Fulbright scholarship from someone I had interviewed while working as a journalist at Radio Mitre Corrientes. We stayed in touch, and during one of our conversations, he told me about this opportunity.

As a naturally curious person who is always looking for new challenges, I decided to apply in order to explore new horizons and opportunities for my professional career.

Additionally, in 2017, I took the TOEFL at Pace University in New York, USA, which allowed me to meet one of the requirements and move forward in the selection process.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the UMass Civic Initiative's Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program?

I practiced English regularly with my mother, who is an English teacher. I also read about history and politics in English to become more familiar with the language and expand my vocabulary. In addition, I prepared specifically for potential interviews, working on my speaking skills as well as managing nervousness and building confidence when communicating.

How Does the University of Massachusetts Amherst Support International Students?

In my experience as a former Fulbright scholar, the organization provided me with tremendous support when I went through the situation involving my father. They offered me the possibility of returning to Argentina earlier than planned so I could be with my family, and they also provided emotional support during that difficult time.

From an academic perspective, it was a truly enriching experience. At the time, we were also introduced to the world of digital communication, an area that was not yet fully developed in Argentina. We analyzed current issues in both Argentine and U.S. politics, and we had the opportunity to visit a U.S. congressman. This experience gave us valuable knowledge and, above all, allowed us to understand political realities from an inside perspective, with a much closer view of the institutions and the people involved in decision-making.

What Did You Pursue After the UMass Civic Initiative's Argentinian Fulbright Scholars Program?

After the scholarship, I continued working for an Argentine media outlet specializing in digital politics and resumed my thesis with a different perspective, one that was much richer and more 6informed by the experiences and knowledge I had gained during that period. I was also strongly motivated to explore the topic in greater depth.

The thesis combined academic research with the creation of a podcast, which made the development process extensive and required a significant amount of work.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

To be completely honest and transparent, without being afraid to show my weaknesses, and to have the determination to turn them into strengths.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Today, I am a completely different person: more mature, with my own projects and my own company. Therefore, I would first consider the academic and professional opportunities that the scholarship could offer me and assess whether they align with what I am looking for and what I want to build at this stage of my life.

I am much more ambitious than I was seven years ago, but above all, I would never lose the essence of who I am: being honest and transparent. I believe that we always have weaknesses that we can transform into opportunities. That is my motto.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

I would encourage them to go for it, especially if they are in their twenties, which I consider one of the best stages of life to discover yourself and find opportunities that can shape and influence your future.

You have to be willing to look for the “yes,” because the “no” is already there. Be honest, be transparent, and don’t be afraid to show who you truly are.

The experience is unique and encourages you to learn and discover new things you may not have known before. It also gives you the opportunity to experience different cultures, new approaches to learning, and meet people from different countries. All of this greatly enriches the experience, both academically and personally.