Tucker McLain, a first-generation student who earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing in May, has become only the fifth person in Northern Michigan University history to receive a Fulbright, the flagship award program for international academic exchange opportunities. He is also the first from NMU whose grant will support research abroad. He will depart for Estonia in September for a nine-month exploration of the country's literary landscape.
McLain has no personal connection to the Baltic state, but after earning an undergraduate degree in anthropology from St. Lawrence University, he developed an avid interest in the people and cultures of small countries. Estonia is sandwiched between major geopolitical and cultural forces, sharing a border with Russia and within a ferry ride from Finland. Despite being ruled by foreign powers for centuries—most notably Germany—the nation's people continued to strive for independence until they gained it from the Soviet Union in 1991.
“Through all of that, they maintained their language, cultural celebrations, and spiritual views,” added McLain, a native of Chatham, Mass. “I found the strength of the Estonian spirit both inspiring and fascinating. At some point, I learned that the country had its own literary canon. I read a couple of books that made up the backbone of their canon and completely fell in love. Many of the themes that are wrestled with in Estonian literature felt very American and relatable. I will be doing a thematic analysis of literature written during times of crisis in the country to try and identify what spiritual pieces of Estonian identity emerge; how they fell back on their symbols, ideas and other things that brought them comfort.”
In his second of three years as a graduate student, McLain said he was gaining valuable insight from faculty related to creative writing and enjoying the MFA program, but felt compelled to pursue an experience after completing his degree that would be not only personally rewarding, but highly transferrable and flexible from a career perspective. He settled on a Fulbright when he saw Estonia as an option for research.
The application process took about a year. McLain said he received valuable assistance during the process from Enrico Sassi and Tesse Sayen of NMU Research and Sponsored Programs, and senior success adviser Ryan Bond. NMU English faculty members also wrote letters of recommendation and provided other support.
“Since I first arrived on campus in December 2023, my motto has been ‘beyond borders.' That's not necessarily restricted to international experiences, but mentoring students to reach beyond their horizon to make connections for internship or study abroad opportunities, and for career possibilities,” Bond said.
“I realized there's more we can do at Northern related to nationally competitive awards, and I had experience doing that work before coming here,” he added. “Enrico and Tesse agreed that we should get the ball rolling and push for this. Our students are capable of doing things that students from Ivy League or big state institutions can do, and the experiences will arguably be more impactful. There's something very unique in the Northern experience that is reflected in the students' interviews and personal statements required for these awards. We can highlight that.”
Three NMU students applied for Fulbright awards this past round, with Tucker selected as a recipient.
“Ryan and I weren't in the same place when we got the email notification that I received it, but I think we heard each other's shouts,” McLain joked. “It was very tense up until then. We were both so excited to see the good news. I have always relied on the kindness of strangers, and that has been more true here than anywhere else. I've had so much support at Northern. One of the qualities that have helped me thrive is my ability to be willing to ask questions, even when I'm embarrassed. That has led me to make some really powerful connections. This has been a real village-coming-together moment.”
Northern formed a committee to signal its deliberate effort to increase the number of students who apply for nationally competitive awards. In addition to Bond and Sassi, other members are: Anna Zimmer, German professor and assistant director of the Honors Program; Dana Jackson-Hardwick, McNair Scholars director with previous experience related to the Truman Scholarships; and Emera Bridger Wilson, NMU librarian.
After completing his anthropology degree, McLain said he knew he wanted to pursue an MFA, ideally at a university that offered graduate assistantships to help defray tuition costs.
“Northern checked all of the boxes for me,” he said. “The MFA program has a really good reputation, I actually like the cold, and it's in a naturally beautiful place. Creatively, it's important that I'm in a place that I find gorgeous and inspiring. Marquette has it all: the lake, islands, beaches, forests and mountains. Being here was much more creatively fulfilling than spending three years at a college surrounded by corn fields. I'm glad I settled on Northern.”
NMU has an online resource page dedicated to the Fulbright program and the application process. Learn more here.