A recent graduate of Saint Anselm College, Diego Benites ’25, was named a Fulbright recipient for the academic year of 2025-2026. Out of a large pool of accomplished applicants (more than 900 this year), Diego stood out for his leadership and academic ability and was chosen for one of 189 the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) awards granted.
“Diego's motivation for the ETA runs deep, starting from his own experience and hurdles as a young learner with multiple disabilities, to later, not just overcoming those, but distinguishing himself on every level amongst his peers, deeply admired and regarded by faculty and students alike,” shared Kimberly Kersey-Asbury, an associate professor of fine arts and the Fulbright program advisor. “Diego is profoundly committed to helping others access education despite language or learning difference through a future career developing educational programing in public history.”
Through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the U.S. government provides grants to citizens with the goal of supporting international educational opportunities. It was founded in 1947 by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright.
Diego will be heading to Asturias, Spain where he will teach English and American culture to students.
He first learned about the Fulbright program from his father, who knew about the globally recognized scholarship opportunity from growing up in Peru. When Diego was forming his post-graduate plans, his father mentioned it as a potential path.
“I thought it would be a great way for me to improve my Spanish while gaining and refining my pedagogical skills for a career in public history,” he shared. “On a personal note, my family in Peruvian and Spanish, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to reconnect with my cultural roots.”
As a childhood cancer survivor, this accomplishment takes on a deeper meaning for Diego, as the odds were stacked against him from the early years of his life.
“I often still think of myself as the kid that was told he would never learn how to speak or read, so I was truly dumbstruck when I received that letter,” he said.
While at Saint Anselm, Diego studied History and American Studies with a minor in Gender Studies. He served as Student Body Vice President and was named the Father Bernard Holmes O.S.B. Scholar for the 2024-2025 academic year. He has also worked for the National Park Service.
Following the completion of his Fulbright program, he will begin pursuing his master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with the goal of achieving a Ph.D. in History or American Studies.