Commitment to global learning shows in Fulbright awards

Wed, October 21, 2009 |

Valparaiso University's long-standing commitment to international education continues to be illustrated with the University being recognized once again as a national leader in preparing students for the flagship international exchange program of the United States.

Valpo was second among master's level institutions with three students winning prestigious Fulbright awards for international study, research and teaching during 2009-2010, according to information recently released by the Institute of International Education, which administers the Fulbright Program. An additional two students won Fulbright awards to teach English in Austria, which are administered separately from other Fulbright awards.

For the fifth time in six years, multiple Valpo students were awarded Fulbrights in 2009-2010. Valpo's five recipients are the most to earn the fellowships in a single year, and since 2004, 17 Valpo students have won Fulbrights to teach or conduct research in Egypt, China, South Korea, Germany and six other countries.

Dr. Charles Schaefer, associate professor of history and Fulbright adviser, said the University's international programs – which include faculty-directed study centers in four countries and a dozen other international programs – play an important role in preparing students to succeed in a global world.

"The exposure to another culture and the opportunity to perfect a foreign language are valuable experiences for Valpo students who study abroad," he said. "For our Fulbright winners, the opportunity to envision a research project on location means that when they commence writing their proposals they are far ahead of the game."

The University's 2009-2010 Fulbright winners are:

• Jonathan Eaton, a history and humanities major from Sequim, Wash., who is conducting research on cultural heritage preservation in Albania;
• John Dimmick, a history and art major from Indianapolis, who is teaching English at a school in Germany;
• Elizabeth Coyne, a political science and international service major from Naperville, Ill., who is teaching English and conducting research in South Africa;
• Jadon Nisly, a history major from Partridge, Kan., who is teaching English in Austria; and
• Joy Gieschen, an art and German major from Fort Wayne, who is teaching English in Austria.

Eaton's fascination with cultural heritage began in the fall of 2007 while studying at Valpo's Cambridge Study Center in England. Intrigued by the Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Eaton asked the museum's keeper of coins and medals if he could work in the department – an offer that was accepted and soon had Eaton identifying Roman coins and brushing up on Attic Greek.

This fall, Eaton is beginning to explore cultural heritage in Albania, a nation he said is enjoying growth and stability after decades of social, political and economic turmoil. He will visit museums and other cultural sites throughout the country, speak to museum officials and cultural scholars, and conduct interviews with ordinary Albanians.

"As Albania stabilizes and plans for its future, many are looking to their country's past to rebuild a healthy and strong national identity," Eaton said. "Not only will this have implications for how Albanians reconcile themselves with their past, but also how they envision their future relationships with their Balkan neighbors and with the European Union."

Dr. Schaefer said Valpo's investment in and promotion of faculty members from a variety of academic programs who go abroad to gain even deeper cultural immersion also is a crucial element supporting global learning in all elements of campus life.

"I always tell students that a Fulbright is a collective, University-wide project that reflects equally on the quality of the faculty," he said.

In 2008, Valpo won the prestigious Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, recognizing it as a model for other institutions of higher education in preparing graduates with strong cross-cultural skills and global awareness.

In addition to its study abroad program, the University also hosts approximately 300 students from more than 50 countries and offers a variety of academic programs in languages and international studies. More information about global learning at Valpo is available online at http://www.valpo.edu/globalvalpo.

Four of Valpo's Fulbright winners – Eaton, Dimmick, Coyne and Nisly – are enrolled in Christ College.

Approximately 1,550 American students were offered grants to study, teach English, and conduct research in more than 110 countries throughout the world beginning last summer through the Fulbright Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.