Photo courtesy of University of Iowa International Programs Social Media

A former Highland High School student has received a prestigious award. The University of Iowa awarded Tristen Wendling of Riverside a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Germany. From September 2026 to June 2027, Wendling plans to teach English in Bavaria, Germany. He graduated from the U of I in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German.

He is a 2022 alum of Highland High School.

According to the Fulbright website, only 100 grants are awarded to Germany. The English Teaching Assistant Programs place Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to aid local English teachers. Fulbrighters serve as cultural ambassadors for the United States and can range in age from as young as kindergarteners to university students.

This will be Wendling’s second venture overseas, as he studied abroad in Freiburg during his time as a student. Find out more information about Wendling at the link in this news story at KCIIRadio.com.