Last summer, Rylie spent 10 weeks interning at the Library of Congress as a research assistant,0 gathering primary sources related to key immigration events in U.S. history. She also looked at the evolution of immigration policy in the U.S., from quota systems, free Western Hemispheric migration and exclusionary bans, to today. This experience illuminated the intricacies of immigration rhetoric and inspired her Fulbright proposal. Bulgaria has recently joined the Schengen area, a migratory zone with 29 EU countries and 4 non-EU countries with no border restrictions. If she wins a Fulbright grant, she will interview Bulgarian citizens and Schengen area foreign nationals entering the country to understand the perceived impact of an open border model. Ideally, she will bring her findings back to the U.S. to inform how Americans debate a range of immigration policies, with clarity about their potential benefits and vulnerabilities.
Rylie DelVecchio
Rylie DelVecchio, a double major in social work and sociology, applied for a Fulbright grant to pursue an independent research project in Bulgaria.
