Fulbright awardee’s journey continues in Mongolia

As an Asian Studies and history double major, Erin Robles '22 was intrigued by the idea of taking Dr. Patrick Wing's Mongol World Empire course. 

Robles, a transfer student and Proudian Scholar, didn't know much about Mongolia or its history, and "was interested as it was an intersection of my majors," she said. "Dr. Wing is a fantastic instructor and he made class engaging from the start." 

As she learned more about Mongolia's past and present, Robles became fascinated by the country. "Erin brought curiosity and enthusiasm to the class, along with her talents as a researcher and writer," Wing said. 

While exploring Fulbright opportunities, Robles saw there was an award section for Mongolia, and worked with Prof. Julie Townsend, University of Redlands Fulbright advisor, and her recommenders to write an essay detailing her desire to teach there. 

"Without the community of faculty at Redlands who really get to know you and care about your future, I would not have been able to even apply for a Fulbright," said Robles, the 28th Fulbright awardee at Redlands.  

She was awarded a Fulbright to teach for 10 months in Mongolia, which is a "huge achievement and testament to Erin's hard work as a scholar," Wing said. "I think the Fulbright will allow her to experience Mongolian culture and build relationships that would be impossible otherwise. I am grateful to have had the chance to work with Erin, and I can't wait to see where her journey takes her." 

Her decision to transfer to Redlands was life changing, Robles said, and "looking back, I would have been very unsatisfied had I continued down a different path." She was exposed to new ideas and topics and grew close to professors who "showed me how I could turn my interests into tangible goals. Redlands gave me the opportunity to explore my interests, which led me to my two majors, which then led me to take some great classes." 

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