From a young age, Lexi Kerstetter knew she wanted to pursue a career in medicine.

When presented with the opportunity to spend a postgraduate year teaching in Taiwan, the 2018 Tamaqua Area High School graduate was willing to temporarily put those plans on hold.

“I’d probably never travel to Taiwan if I didn’t have this opportunity,” she said.

Kerstetter, who graduated from Lebanon Valley College in December, recently earned an English Teaching Assistant Award from the prestigious Fulbright Program. She will spend eight months teaching English.

While Kerstetter was finishing her undergraduate biology degree last year, the college recommended that she apply to the Fulbright Program. Fulbright, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, awards research and teaching opportunities in countries around the world.

Kerstetter decided to apply for a teaching opportunity, realizing she could teach students English while sharing her passion for STEM.

“I figured, let’s branch out of my comfort zone and try teaching,” she said.

The Fulbright application process is long and competitive. Over five months, Kerstetter wrote and rewrote essays. She took an education course as an elective. She spent her summer taking more courses on teaching English to speakers of other languages.

“I wanted to make sure I was a top applicant,” she said.

Kerstetter said she has the confidence to push herself toward lofty goals like the Fulbright Program because of support from her parents. She’s hopeful they’ll be able to visit her during her stay.

“My parents are my biggest supporters,” she said.

In the coming weeks, Kerstetter will learn where exactly in Taiwan she will be teaching. She will leave in August, and the school year in Taiwan runs from September through June.

The opportunity to immerse herself in another culture is exciting for Kerstetter. She knows it will be nothing like the experiences she’s had growing up in Nesquehoning and attending LVC.

“To be able to go overseas and meet a bunch of unfamiliar faces, I think that’s what excites me the most,” she said.

In the meantime, she works as a full-time EMT in the City of Lebanon. Shifts are long - 14 hours. Every day brings new surprises, but Kerstetter embraces it. When she completes her time in the Fulbright program, her next step will be applying to schools to become a physician assistant.

“I love my job. I love everything about medicine,” she said.