Fulbright Archives

UMW Grads Win Fulbright Awards to Teach Overseas

July 13, 2022 by Lisa Chinn Marvashti

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UMW grads (from left) Theresa Darroch '20, Mary Cheney '21, M.Ed. '22 and Charlotte Kramer '22 are all winners of this year's Fulbright Awards to work and study overseas.[/caption] Charlotte Kramer ’22 was still absorbing the first piece of news – that she’d received semifinalist status for a grant to live and work overseas – when a second email came through. “I thought I was seeing things,” Kramer said of the message that upgraded her standing and meant she’d get to spend nearly a year in Bulgaria. “I think I understood, even if I couldn’t fully process, how life-changing that moment was.” Kramer, who earned a degree in anthropology in May, is one of three recent University of Mary Washington grads to win a Fulbright award this year. The transformative U.S. government-sponsored honor, among the world’s most highly regarded, aims to boost cultural connections around the globe. But the journey for these alums – among the nearly 60 Fulbright finalists and semifinalists Mary Washington has produced throughout the years – began with the support and inspiration they found among faculty. “They helped me navigate the whole process,” Kramer said of UMW’s Fulbright Advising Committee (FAC). Kramer will leave for Ruse, Bulgaria, later this year. Mary Cheney ’21, M.Ed. ’22, will head to South Korea and Theresa Darroch ’20 will go to Taiwan. Read more.

UMW Political Science Faculty Receive Prestigious Fulbright Awards

February 26, 2019 by Marty Morrison

University of Mary Washington Political Science Professors Elizabeth Freund Larus and Stephen J. Farnsworth are go-to pundits in national and international media in their respective fields. Soon they’ll take their expertise and research abroad through prestigious 2019-20 U.S. Fulbright grants. Larus has been named a Fulbright Scholar who will conduct field research throughout Poland and […]

UMW Named Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Students

February 14, 2019 by Marty Morrison

Once again, the University of Mary Washington has been named to the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2018-2019 Fulbright U.S. Students. The top Fulbright producers are listed in the February 11 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Each year the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces the top producing institutions for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program.

Last spring, three Mary Washington alumni were awarded English teaching assistant grants through the Fulbright program. Currently, Molly Bernhard ’14 is spending the 2018-19 academic year in Bulgaria; Destiny Williams ’18 is in Taiwan; and Molly Garthwaite ’17, M.Ed. ’18 is in India. Read more.

UMW History Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti Receives Prestigious Fulbright Grant

August 1, 2018 by Kristin Davis

Thanks to a prestigious 2018-2019 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant, Associate Professor of History and American Studies Nabil Al-Tikriti will spend the next 10 months researching centuries-old manuscripts and archives in Azerbaijan. Al-Tikriti will concentrate on 15th- and 16th- century intellectual history as well as Sufi movements and their connections to the significant political dynasties of […]

Nabil Al-Tikriti Awarded Fulbright Scholar Grant

August 1, 2018 by Kristin Davis

Associate Professor of History and American Studies Nabil Al-Tikriti will spend the next 10 months researching centuries-old manuscripts and archives in Azerbaijan thanks to a prestigious 2018-2019 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant.

Al-Tikriti will concentrate on 15th and 16th century intellectual history, Sufi movements and their connections to the significant political dynasties of the era in this Caucasus country that was once part of the Soviet Union. He’ll also teach Middle East history to university students in two Azerbaijani universities.

As Al-Tikriti stated, “this award is a great honor, and should provide an additional impetus to strengthening international education at UMW in the years to come. I hope to bring knowledge and contacts back from this experience, which will then further enrich UMW’s curriculum.”

Al-Tikriti Joins Fulbright Liaison Scholar Workshop

February 20, 2018 by Kristin Davis

On 16 February, Professor Nabil Al-Tikriti attended a Fulbright Scholar Liaison (FSL) workshop at the Institute for International Education (IIE) in Washington, DC. In the course of this workshop, IIE informed and prompted guest FSL attendees from throughout the nation on various Fulbright programs, and related initiatives to internationalize campuses.

Issues addressed in the course of this workshop included the following, which might be of interest to the UMW community:

Fulbright Scholar Program for eligible faculty members
Fulbright Scholar in Residence (SiR) Program
International Education Administrator (IEA) Seminars
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Fulbright Specialist Program
Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) speakers list
Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) possibilities for guest lecturers
Institutional membership in IIE
Individual membership in the Fulbright Association
Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program
Pre-Departure Orientations on applicant campuses
Placing foreign graduate students at U.S. TESL programs

The primary Powerpoint presentation made at the workshop can be accessed here: https://www.cies.org/document/power-point-fulbright-scholar-program-workshop

If colleagues would like to hear more about this workshop, or explore certain potential initiatives further, please do not hesitate to contact Professor Al-Tikriti.

UMW Environmental Science Professor Receives Fulbright Scholarship

April 13, 2015 by Emily Hollingsworth

Melanie Szulczewski, associate professor of Earth and environmental Sciences at the University of Mary Washington, has been selected to receive a prestigious 2015-2016 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant. Szulczewski will use the grant to conduct research at the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.

Szulczewski is one of two professors at UMW to receive the Fulbright Scholarship this year. Julius Esunge, assistant professor of mathematics, will be traveling to Buea, Cameroon to construct and compare predictive models for healthcare costs and to teach classes at the University of Buea. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau. The scholarship program gives professors the opportunity to conduct research and network with other professors from around the world. While in Poland, Szulczewski will study ecosystem restoration on former mining sites with Marcin Pietrzykowski, professor and researcher of forest ecology at the University of Agriculture in Krakow. Pietrzykowski previously received a Fulbright Scholarship to work at Virginia Tech in the 2013-2014 academic year. “This opportunity to work with him will enhance my field and analytical skills,” said Szulczewski. “It will benefit both of our research groups and add to the knowledge base for rehabilitating thousands of contaminated mining sites worldwide.” Szulczewski, an environmental scientist who specializes in soil chemistry, came to UMW in 2008. Prior to teaching at UMW, Szulczewski received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and French literature from Cornell University. Szulczewski also received both a master’s degree in soil science and a doctorate in soil science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

UMW Mathematics Professor Receives Fulbright Grant

March 9, 2015 by Erika Spivey

Julius Esunge, assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Mary Washington, has been selected to receive a prestigious 2015-2016 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant. Esunge will teach and conduct research at the University of Buea in the Republic of Cameroon beginning in the spring of 2016.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program. The scholarship program gives professors a unique opportunity as ambassadors of American higher education, pursuing research and teaching opportunities around the world. An expert in stochastic analysis, Esunge blends mathematics and statistics to understand and solve real-world problems. As part of his Fulbright grant, Esunge will return to the place of his undergraduate studies – the University of Buea – to teach two semesters of probability and actuarial mathematics and lead a weekly graduate seminar in stochastic analysis. He also will construct and compare predictive models for healthcare costs. “The opportunity to return to the University of Buea and actively mentor a new generation of students is priceless,” said Esunge, who joined the UMW mathematics department in 2009. “I have the opportunity to map a path for the current students and motivate them through passionate teaching.” Esunge received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Buea, a master’s degree from Lehigh University and a master’s degree and doctorate’s degree from Louisiana State University. “Dr. Esunge is a very popular and effective teacher, and I know he will have a tremendous impact at the University of Buea,” said Jonathan Levin, provost at UMW. “It is a special pleasure to see him bring his talent and expertise to his own alma mater in Cameroon.”

UMW Students Receive Fulbright, International Scholarships

April 30, 2014 by Brynn Boyer

University of Mary Washington students and alumni will travel, teach, and explore new cultures thanks to prestigious grants and scholarships.

Charlotte Johnson '13 has received a Fulbright grant to spend a year in Germany.

Charlotte Johnson, a 2013 international affairs and German graduate, is the 14th student to receive a U.S. Fulbright grant in the university’s history. Her scholarship continues a tradition of Fulbright awards at UMW over the past seven years. As a Fulbright scholar, Johnson will work for one year as an English teaching assistant in Germany. She will leave for her placement at the end of August. “I spent a year in Germany as a high school exchange student, so I have been dying to go back ever since,” Johnson said. “I want to go back as a leader as opposed to a student. This time, I can bring what I’ve learned [at UMW].” Johnson, a native of Tyaskin, Md., was very involved during her time at UMW, including as president of the club swim team, co-president of the German Club and a member of both the political science and foreign language honor societies. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.

Shirley Martey '14 will spend one year in China thanks to two prestigious scholarship programs.

Shirley Martey, a 2014 political science graduate, received a Boren Scholarship for a program in China. Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program, a major federal initiative designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills. NSEP’s Boren Awards program provides students with resources and encouragement to acquire language skills and experience in countries critical to the future security and stability of our nation. This year, 165 students were offered awards from a pool of 868 applications. Earlier this year, she was awarded the Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship for an intensive language program at Suzhou University in China. She’ll spend two months in Suzhou after graduation, then travel to the Harbin Institute of Technology for nine months of study through the Boren Scholarship. “As a Ghanaian American woman, I hope to be able to contribute a unique perspective to the conversation about U.S.-China relations, helping to develop a mutual understanding of the differences in each other’s policymaking structures and processes,” Martey said. Shirley, a native of Centreville, Va., has served in leadership roles in multiple on-campus organizations, including as chapter president of the Pi Sigma Alpha and Mortar Board honor societies and as a peer mentor for underrepresented students. Students Zaire Sprowal and Katherine Hansen have received the Gilman International Scholarship for their summer studies in Guyana and China, respectively. The scholarship provides awards to U.S. undergraduate students who are studying abroad and receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university. Sprowal will study with the UMW Guyana program under the leadership of Laura Mentore to gain the unique experience of living in an indigenous community and rainforest environment while developing his qualitative research skills. Hansen will participate in a two-month internship in Shanghai, China through the College of Business led by Wei Chen. Senior Michael Crawford will travel to Leipzig, Germany later this year thanks to a competitive scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Services, known as DAAD. Crawford will work alongside scientists to study how cow grazing affects plant biodiversity of grasslands. Crawford will work from October 2014 until July 2015 at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in the Department of Ecological Modelling for a scientist named Volker Grimm. In working for Grimm, Crawford will work to simplify an existing ecological simulation that details how certain plants grow or do not grow in conjunction with cow grazing. DAAD is the largest German support organization in the field of international academic cooperation, and is a private, federally and state funded, self-governing national agency of the institutions of higher education in Germany. The scholarship is a similar award to a Fulbright scholarship, but is only for Germany. The organization awards competitive, merit-based grants for use toward study and research in Germany at any of the accredited German institutions of higher education.