David Beek went through a roller coaster of emotions on the day he turned 27 this past April. From being involved in a car accident, to finding out that that he was selected as one of six individuals from the University of South Carolina to receive a Fulbright Grant, Beek ended the day on top, forgetting all about the downside.
“I actually found out on my birthday that I had been chosen as a finalist for the Fulbright Grant,” Beek says. “I had been checking my email constantly for a few weeks, but on my birthday, ironically, I got into a car accident, and I didn’t get around to checking my email until late that night. When I saw that I was chosen as a finalist for the Fulbright Grant, I was in total shock and awe. It was an amazing feeling."