Alumni Interview with Ella Macallair, Class of 2017

EB Alumni Q&A 

Ella Macallair is a 2017 EB alum who graduated from the UC Berkeley Sciences Po Dual Degree program this past year, having completed two BAs in Political Humanities and Global Studies, respectively. She has recently been selected for the prestigious Fulbright Scholar program. She'll be working with Fulbright Morocco as an English teacher for Moroccan university students. Following her work in Morocco, she will return to Sciences Po, where she will pursue a master’s degree in International Governance and Diplomacy.

We reached out to Ella to reflect on her academic career thus far and to see what kind of an impact her education at EB made.

1. What is your fondest memory from École Bilingue?

A moment that stands out is my first experience living abroad with a host family. I fondly recall becoming good friends with my French correspondent, Justine, whose family welcomed me with open arms and showed me around Paris for the first time. Rather than just visiting tourist sites and staying in a hotel, getting to live with a French family and take part in their daily life was a formative experience that sparked my love for travel and cross-cultural immersion.

I remember EB having a very interactive, nurturing, and engaging learning environment. The teachers were always looking for creative and effective ways to teach. I loved being able to try so many activities — from art with Ms. Campbell, gardening with Jean-Marie, music with Barbara, and trying different sports with Patrice and Coach — which made learning feel fun and dynamic.

As a child, I didn’t fully realize or appreciate the value of being bilingual. Now, it is one of my proudest and most valuable skills. It has expanded my worldview, given me the confidence to study, work, and immerse myself in France and Morocco, and inspired me to learn other languages as well, including Spanish and now Arabic. At this very moment, I’m sitting in a café in Marrakech’s Guéliz neighborhood, appreciating Morocco’s incredible linguistic diversity. In just the past couple of hours, I’ve overheard conversations in Darija, Amazigh, French, and English. Being able to engage with multiple languages lets us see more of the world’s beauty and connect with its peoples more deeply.

I feel very lucky to have had an inspiring education with meaningful professional experiences. Most recently, I graduated with an honors thesis analyzing U.S. foreign policy legislation in the MENA region. This project earned me a research grant that enabled me to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with policy experts, government officials, and research fellows. The experience felt like the culmination of my international education — a privilege I hope to pay forward — as the starting point of what I hope will be an impactful career in diplomacy and peacebuilding.

My time at EB truly made me a “citizen of the world.” Growing up bilingual, surrounded by a diverse student body, and supported by caring teachers and mentors gave me the tools to succeed and the confidence to keep exploring. That early foundation inspired me to study in France, and now to live in Morocco, work in Moroccan higher education, and continue learning languages. The more time I spend abroad, the more motivated I am to keep exploring new cultures and places.

Explore the world, work in the service of others, and don’t be afraid to try new things or step out of your comfort zone. If you can, go abroad — experience the world and make an effort to understand other cultures and societies. Language learning is key to this! Talk to people who live lives very different from yours, and let those conversations shape you. Remember that being humbled is an opportunity for self-growth, understanding, and open-mindedness.