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Flores found out he had been selected for the award when he received an email while in class. He says his reaction was immediate excitement and gratitude. 

“I had to call and thank everyone who had helped me through the process. I am thrilled and relieved, as it gives me a solid plan for what I will do in the next year,” he said. “I cannot wait to begin learning Portuguese and to take this big leap.”

The triple major in history, political science and Spanish is a native of Addison, Illinois, and will graduate in May. He said he could never have imagined the wide range of experiences he would gain during his college career that led to him being awarded the prestigious Fulbright. 

“Illinois College has taught me that the best experiences happen when you take risks and move beyond your comfort zone. I am ready for this adventure and extremely excited,” said Flores. 

On Friday, during the Illinois College Celebration of Excellence, Flores was also honored among the best and the brightest undergraduates in the nation with induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the top academic honor society to recognize liberal arts scholars. 
 
During his Illinois College career, Flores has been heavily involved IC’s Leadership Program under the mentorship of Karen Dean, who recently retired as political science professor, but continues to serve as graduate opportunities advisor for the College. Flores has completed multiple student-faculty research projects working with IC faculty, and has presented his research at national conferences throughout the country. 

In 2017, Flores was recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award and named IC’s Lincoln Laureate by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. He has completed numerous internships through Illinois College, including a summer position with the Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth in Washington D.C., and with the Institute for Justice and Human Rights in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while studying abroad. 

Flores recently traveled to Puerto Rico to help with IC’s Alternative Spring Break program. He plans to travel to Cuba as a student leader for an upcoming IC BreakAway trip, and then to Japan to participate in research through a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.  

Alumni of the selective Fulbright program include accomplished ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors and teachers. In his future, Flores envisions a career where he can have an impact on a global scale. 

“I really want to pursue a career in international relations. My experiences have shaped my decisions, made my future more tangible and my goals more feasible,” said Flores. “The support I have received on campus has propelled me to apply to various opportunities, like the Fulbright, that I may not have considered before. I look forward to continuing to seek these exciting opportunities.”

Flores does not yet know where he will be placed in Brazil. His work will begin in February 2019. For more stories about how Illinois College prepares students to Graduate READY, visit www.ic.edu/graduate-ready