Hey there! My name is Lora Kusaku and I grew up in Schaumburg, Illinois, (aka. the Northwest suburbs of Chicago). I was a competitive ballet dancer and badminton player, ate deep dish pizza at least once a month, and I was an EMT at Lollapalooza! While I loved my time in Illinois, I was ready for something new—so I headed to Tufts University for college.
Over the past five years in Boston, I’ve learned to ski, discovered the best lobster rolls, and biked the entirety of Martha’s Vineyard in one day! At Tufts, I had an amazing educational experience and countless opportunities to support me in my pre-medical journey. For my undergraduate research, I had to meticulously perform midgut dissections on fruit flies under a microscope!
One of my favorite extracurriculars was teaching ESL classes at the Boston Public Library. In my ESL classes, I learned about various cultures, we challenged stereotypes, and had engaging debates every class. This class motivated me to continue participating in similar culturally enriching activities, like applying for a Fulbright scholarship! Growing up Albanian American, I wasn’t very close with my family in Albania. It was always a dream of mine to spend extended time in Albania to learn more about the culture, strengthen my identity, and contribute to Albania’s development.
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
