Prestigious Awards & Fellowships Archives | ��ƽ��

Global Leadership in Action: Two New 2026 Grads Head to Europe on Fulbright Fellowships

tshah — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:30:05 +0000

As members of ��ƽ��’s Class of 2026 are taking their first steps into their after-college lives, two new graduates are readying for a year abroad on prestigious and highly competitive Fulbright English Teaching Assistant fellowships. This year’s recipients—Julia Carpio, a graduate of ��ƽ��’s accelerated five-year Scholar Teacher Education Program, and Hussein Ali Rifath, who earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and Spanish—will be going to Europe to teach, mentor and build cross-cultural understanding.

The two award winners embody ��ƽ��’s commitment to scholarship, service and global citizenship. They also reflect the University’s commitment to helping students gain access to experiences that transform lives. Both worked with ��ƽ��’s Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships to navigate the application process, secure effective letters of recommendation and prepare for interviews.

“Our office was delighted to work with these Fulbright awardees,” said Nicole Rudolph, PhD, director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships and associate dean for student engagement. “Each brought a true passion for international education and global connection to the application process, and we are so pleased that the U.S. Fulbright Committee recognized their potential by granting them English Teaching Assistantships.”

Applying for the fellowship can be just as valuable as receiving one, according to Dean Rudolph. “Applying for a nationally competitive award is a wonderful way for students to think deeply about their objectives, priorities and values,” she said. “Students tell us that the application process itself helped them to clarify their life goals, improve their written and oral communication, and refine their time management skills.”

Julia Carpio’s Leap to Greece

For Julia Carpio ’25, MA ’26, who received her MA in Childhood Education and Advanced Certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) in May, winning a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award was the culmination of a lifelong dream.

A self-described “shy, quiet and reserved” child, Carpio first found her path to teaching thanks to a kindergarten teacher who made her feel like she could achieve anything. Combined with the inspiration of her mother, a high school Spanish teacher, education was in Carpio’s blood. “Our (��ƽ��) professors tell us all the time that teaching is a calling, it’s not a job—you have to have a true passion for it,” she said.

That calling will soon take her to an elementary school in Athens, Greece, where she’ll spend a year teaching English to students. The Fulbright program’s focus on multilingual education and cultural exchange matched the path she was already on. “I really wanted to dive into teaching and get as much as I could out of multilingual education,” she said.

Carpio can point to specific moments—and people—who nudged her from dream to decision. One was a , led by Mary Jean McCarthy, clinical associate professor in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences. “That was where I fell in love with multilingual education and learning from educators from different parts of the world,” she recalled.

McCarthy connected Carpio with Professor Clara Vaz Bauler, PhD, professor in the School of Education who became an anchor for her Fulbright ambitions. Daryl M. Gordon, PhD, who is also a professor in the School of Education, and Priya Wadhera, PhD, professor and interim director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships last year, helped with her application. Shannon Harrison, director of ��ƽ��’s Center for International Education, first mentioned Fulbright to Carpio and walked her through options for teaching abroad. “So many people helped me get here,” Carpio said.

She chose Greece deliberately. Many Fulbright placements only put scholars in schools part time, but the Athens program puts Carpio in the classroom five days a week and some Saturdays. “I want to be 100 percent part of the staff,” she explained.

Carpio’s hopes for the year abroad are practical. “I want to walk away as a more effective educator,” she said. She wants to watch how Greek teachers structure lessons, what questions they ask, how they respond to multilingual students—and then carry those insights into whatever classroom she steps into next.

Long term, she sees Fulbright as the first in a series of international chapters in her life. She wants to keep teaching abroad and eventually pursue a PhD in international and comparative education.

Hussein Ali Rifath: Making a Difference in Madrid

By the time Hussein Ali Rifath ’26 learned he’d been selected for a Fulbright, he’d spent four years at ��ƽ�� growing into the kind of person who sees scholarship as service.

“It’s been a journey of growth for me,” said Rifath, who served as president of the Class of 2026 and president of ��ƽ��’s Student Government Association. This fall, he will travel to Spain to help public school students sharpen their English, engage with global issues and see America in a new light.

“We’re being citizen diplomats,” he says of himself and his fellow Fulbright recipients. “We’re not just working as educators; we’re advancing our foreign relations abroad.”

For Rifath, his Fulbright sits at the intersection of everything that’s been on his mind as he graduates: America’s role in the world, the power of education and a personal desire to serve.

“I feel like now, more than ever, it’s important for Americans to get involved,” he said.

He’s especially aware that many students abroad only know the United States through politics and headlines. His goal is “to give a nuanced view, to show that we have two sides to our political spectrum, like every country. I want to give people a more comprehensive message about what America is, what we stand for. I want them to see us as a vibrant, welcoming society that not only cherishes them but also cherishes the human bonds which unite us across the world.”

In Madrid, Rifath will work with two programs that bring global awareness into local schools. “I’ll help students articulate themselves in English and speak about pressing issues across the world—like climate change and international relations,” he explained.

Rifath credits two ��ƽ�� faculty members with helping him win a Fulbright: Ignacio Arellano-Torres, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and Dr. Vaz Bauler, the education professor who also inspired Julia Carpio. “They helped me discover my passion for learning language,” he said.

Fulbright is just one chapter in Rifath’s plan for a life centered on service. “Long term, I see myself joining the military,” he says, which he sees as a way to serve his community and country. “Through it all, my goal is to get involved in ways that benefit the community.”

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Making History, Breaking Barriers: ��ƽ��’s First Fulbright Scholar in Residence

ckatz — Mon, 11 May 2026 21:12:17 +0000

The is one of the most highly competitive and unique programs in higher education. Designed to promote cross-cultural understanding and global collaboration, this program allows U.S. colleges and universities to host a foreign scholar for a semester or full academic year to internationalize their campus and enrich the university community.

The residency of Dr. Banerjee, a distinguished management scholar and experienced academic leader, was sponsored by and affiliated with the prestigious Levermore Global Scholars program—a program for students interested in global study and leadership.

A Historic First for ��ƽ��

The opportunity to become a Fulbright Fellow was brought to Dr. Banerjee by Hanna Kim, PhD, professor and chair of the ��ƽ�� Department of Anthropology and co-director of the Museum Studies Program. While honored, he initially hesitated due to his commitments at Ashoka University, where he was overseeing the commissioning of a new management school. “I wasn’t sure if I could get away for a whole semester,” he explained.

With strong support from his colleagues, Dr. Banerjee ultimately accepted the opportunity, adding that his motivation was “to try and understand the shifting sands in higher education that the U.S. is living through.” He felt that these insights would inform ideas and strategies to help build world-class global institutions in India.

As the first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence ever hosted by ��ƽ��, Dr. Banerjee’s appointment carries special significance. “It is a matter of great honor for me,” he said.

Advancing ��ƽ��’s Global Educational Initiatives

Dr. Banerjee was sponsored by and affiliated with the Levermore Global Scholars program and the College of Arts and Sciences. During his time here, he helped advance ��ƽ��’s global educational initiatives by collaborating with scholars and engaging with the campus and local community.

Throughout the semester, Dr. Banerjee delivered three different lectures to ��ƽ�� students and faculty.

Careers at the Edge of Change: Global Stories and Innovation in Emerging Markets provided insight into real-world business challenges, innovations and strategies.
From Classrooms to Ecosystems: Time for Higher Education to Evolve in the Global Innovation Economy dove into how university education, particularly American higher education, looks to adapt to the rapidly evolving needs of global realities.
Innovation Ecosystems Unlock Civilizational Potential: The Case of India explored how campuses, startups and cultural narratives transformed entrepreneurship for young Indians and why building impactful organizations is a powerful expression of ambition, purpose sand leadership in contemporary India.

By residing in an on-campus apartment and judging high school students at ��ƽ��’s annual Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, Dr. Banerjee gain firsthand insight into the American student experience.

A Distinguished Academic Leader From India

Born in Kolkata, in the state of West Bengal, India, Dr. Banerjee has led a distinguished academic career. He earned both a PhD in economics and marketing science and a master’s degree in economics from Purdue University, as well as a BS in economics and mathematics and statistics from St. Xavier’s College in Kolkata. From his 18-year tenure at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad to his transformative roles as dean at Ahmedabad and Shiv Nadar universities—where he pioneered industry-academia collaborations—Dr. Banerjee has consistently elevated educational standards. He is currently the head of the Havells School of Management and Leadership at Ashoka University.

India and ��ƽ��: Deep Ties and Collaboration

Although his semester at ��ƽ�� is over, Dr. Banerjee sees significant potential for further collaboration between ��ƽ�� and institutions in India. He highlighted India’s growing importance in global higher education, fueled by a burgeoning student population eager to learn. “India has been the largest source of international students for ��ƽ��,” he observed, indicating that this creates a strong foundation for strategic partnerships. He also noted that ��ƽ��’s prime location in New York, combined with its thoughtfully designed and cost-effective programs, means that Indian student interest will only continue to expand.

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Honors College: ��ƽ��’s Pipeline to Professional Schools

ckatz — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:08:08 +0000

“You’re accepted.”

Those are the words that students need to hear when they apply to professional schools. But the pathway into those programs is challenging, and most are turned away.

But students at the ��ƽ�� Honors College are finding success in their educational journeys. In fact, 100 percent of Honors students who applied to medical school last year were accepted.

Honors College students are also highly successful in gaining entrance into law school, dental school and other professional schools and graduate programs.

How does the College do this? We talked with its deans and alumni to find out.

Advanced Seminars and Lectures

“Students come to the Honors College because they’re looking for an academic home with a curriculum that’s meaningful,” said Susan Dinan, PhD, interim provost, who has served as dean of the Honors College for six years. “They’re used to being challenged and engaged, and they’re interested in a breadth of learning that’s going to accompany what they’re doing in their major.”

Nicole Rudolph, PhD, interim dean of the Honors College, assists highly motivated students to gain entry into competitive professional programs.

The yearlong courses, advanced seminars and multidisciplinary lectures at the Honors College are built around key learning goals that “map onto skills that students across majors will have to mobilize,” said Nicole Rudolph, PhD, interim dean of the Honors College and former director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships. Students are taught not to keep classes siloed but to make meaningful connections among different concepts in their coursework, for example.

A Fulbright Scholar Heads to Medical School

That learning experience helped Kyana Gordon ’24, who earned her degree in biology and then conducted epidemiological research in Jamaica as a Fulbright Scholar, make her way to Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.

“��ƽ��’s Honors College emphasizes critical thought in the discussion-style courses,” Gordon said. “The seminars helped me hone my synthetic analysis skills. That was especially important in my journey to medical school because, in taking the time to connect the dots during my research internships and clinical experiences, I found greater meaning in the practice of medicine. I realized that treating a patient requires understanding the whole person, not just the symptoms.”

A Computer Scientist, Veterinarian, and Future Attorney

Roya Parsa ’25, who earned her degree in computer science and is now in the MS in Computer Science program at Dartmouth College, also points to the thinking skills she developed in the Honors College.

“The Honors College taught me to think critically and develop a researcher’s mind,” she explained. “The core humanities courses were fundamental to developing the necessary outside-the-box thinking that I use all the time now in my research. I wholeheartedly believe that to be a good scientist, you must understand the human condition. It is imperative we understand people to perform good research.”

Sandra Pinto ’21 also stressed the way the program helped her think critically. “While the classes in my biology major gave me the necessary scientific foundation for graduate school, the Honors College taught me to think critically about important ideas from a philosophical, psychological and literary perspective ,” she said. “It cemented by character development in a way that made me stand out as an applicant.” Stand out, she did, as she was admitted to Cornell University’s veterinary school and entered the program two months after graduating from ��ƽ��. “My Honors College experience allowed me to show the veterinary schools I applied to that I was prepared to not only to examine, diagnose and treat animal—I would also be able to effectively communicate with people who love them,” she said. Dr. Pinto received her degree from Cornell in May 2025.

Outside of class, Honors College students can apply for summer research fellowships to conduct funded research under the guidance of a faculty member. Many use the fellowship opportunity to jump start their thesis and explore new ideas in their chosen field.

The senior thesis is a showcase for students’ enhanced analytical skills and their ability to write persuasively—abilities that are crucial in professional fields. Rene Hernandez ’23, for instance, completed his thesis on psychological operations in warfare before receiving a full-ride scholarship to St. John’s University School of Law in New York.

“Publications come out of these research fellowships, too,” Dr. Rudolph said. “In a competitive application market for professional schools, students can say, ‘Look, I’m already first or second author on this scientific article.’”

One-on-One Mentorship and Professional Guidance

Honors College faculty and staff play an integral role in helping students prepare for the next phase of their careers. Students can also work with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising and Fellowships to enter joint programs with partner institutions like New York University, Columbia University and the New York Institute of Technology.

“We have a lot of first-generation students, so we spend quite a bit of time with undergraduates to help them understand the possibilities available to them and paths they might take,” Dr. Dinan said.

Dr. Rudolph, for example, in her role as associate dean of student engagement, has helped many students craft their statements of purpose for graduate school applications.

“We had a young woman who went to law school on a free ride because her statement of purpose was exemplary,” Dr. Dinan said. “And it would not have happened if Dean Rudolph had not intervened and made it really clear why this was such an important piece to write.”

Alumni Who Offer Support and Guidance

Honors College students have yet another advantage when applying to professional school—Honors alumni.

Rachel Vacca Prater ’19, who entered the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School after graduating from ��ƽ��, is one of the many students who has received advice and support from Honors College alums.

“Being able to speak to Honors College alumni who had attended such prestigious law schools was invaluable to me both during the application process and even as a 1L [first-year law student],” she said. “I was able to enter a top law school with a preexisting network of alumni who were not only willing but eager to help me succeed.”

Prater is returning the favor now as a member of that supportive network. This October, she and fellow alum Connor Coupe ’19, who received his law degree from Northwestern University, visited campus for a Q&A to provide students with insider tips on law school applications, internships and career paths.

A Fully Rounded College Experience

Honors College students don’t just shine in the classroom. They lead many student organizations on campus—from the , part of the world’s largest student-led movement for global health and sustainable development, to the Undergraduate Law Review, which several Honors College students helped to found.

Honors College students also swept ��ƽ��’s 2025 Brown and Gold Awards, including President of the Year, Student Leader of the Year and Emerging Leader. Meanwhile seven of the year’s 10 Prestigious Panthers honorees—students recognized for their leadership and dedication on campus—were Honors College students.

Students within the College also make a concerted effort to build close connections and support each other in their academic careers.

“Students could be competitive for those perceived slots in medical schools, but instead, they’re very collaborative,” Dr. Dinan said. “When 100 percent of students are accepted into medical school, they don’t see each other as competition. There’s an understanding that they can all get there if they work together.”

The 100 percent acceptance rate is a point of pride at the Honors College, but it isn’t the point of the Honors College experience.

“That 100 percent is a great number, but it’s not the essence of our mission,” she said. “Our mission is to provide an experience that’s going to lead our students to satisfying personal and professional lives, whatever their profession.”

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With Three New Honors, ��ƽ�� Burnishes Its Fulbright Credentials

ckatz — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 19:31:50 +0000

“This isn’t your mother’s Fulbright anymore,” said Nicole Rudolph, PhD, associate dean for student engagement at ��ƽ�� and director of the office of prestigious awards and fellowships, noting the increasingly robust and diverse international exchange opportunities for graduating seniors, graduate students and recent graduates.

��ƽ�� will now be doing more to help students take advantage of these life-changing opportunities, as it has been chosen as one of only 20 U.S. colleges and universities to take part in this year’s Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) Development Initiative. Dr. Rudolph will serve as the University’s adviser, attending workshops to learn about the full range of fellowships and ways to nurture a ”Fulbright culture” at ��ƽ��.

You could say that culture has already taken root at the University. In a first for ��ƽ��, three students won Fulbrights in 2022. And this spring, two faculty members were honored with awards: Wahiba Abu-Ras, PhD, professor of social work, who received a Fulbright Teaching/Research Award for her project on telemental health care in Qatar; and Katie Laatikainen, PhD, professor of political science, selected as a Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Policy Law and Governance. The two professors are only the latest in a long line of faculty members who have conducted research abroad with the help of Fulbrights.

The growing list of Fulbright recipients at ��ƽ�� tells a powerful story about the University’s distinctive academics. It also demonstrates our rising reputation with the Fulbright program and ongoing commitment to global learning.

Improving access to mental health resources in Qatar

Wahiba Abu-Ras, PhD, Professor of Social Work

In April 2023, Dr. Abu-Ras was granted the Fulbright Teaching/Research Award for her project, “Telemental Health Care (TMHC): Reducing Barriers and Overcoming Stigma to Access Mental Health Care in Qatar.” She’d previously received a Fulbright fellowship to study public administration at Harvard University.

“The topic of TMHC is important to me and the field of Muslim mental health because it addresses the significant barriers individuals face in accessing mental health care, particularly in Muslim-majority countries like Qatar,” Dr. Abu-Ras said. “The project aims to explore the barriers the target population faces, including stigma in seeking mental health care.”

Dr. Abu-Ras will conduct her research on the ground in Qatar with the support of the Fulbright program and collaborating institutions in the country.

“I will have the necessary resources to collect qualitative data through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions with the target population and mental health providers,” she said. “Additionally, I will be able to implement and evaluate the TMHC intervention during a six-month period involving a sample of 50 adults in Qatar.”

Upon returning to ��ƽ��, Dr. Abu-Ras plans to share her findings with students and incorporate the research into her classes.

“The TMHC research project enhances ��ƽ��’s ongoing commitment to international research and social justice,” she said. ”I aim to educate students about the challenges and perspectives of Arab and immigrant communities, fostering a deeper understanding of cross-cultural experiences and promoting respect for diversity.”

Studying international diplomacy in Canada

Katie Laatikainen, PhD, Professor of Political Science

Dr. Laatikainen, an expert on the United Nations and international diplomacy, was accepted as a Fulbright Scholar to conduct research at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Ontario. Fulbright Scholars are offered opportunities to research and lecture abroad, and play a critical role in public diplomacy. Dr. Laatikainen was previously awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2010 to teach European politics at the University of Macao.

For this project, Dr. Laatikainen will study the role of Canada, Australia and New Zealand (sometimes known as the ”CANZ” countries) in global governance. She’ll build on the research shared in her 2020 book, Group Politics in UN Multilateralism, written with Karen Smith, PhD, of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

“I’m interested to look at how these Western middle powers are involved in the defense of the liberal international order in a world where that order is being contested,” said Dr. Laatikainen, who also serves as the academic director of the Levermore Global Scholars program at ��ƽ��. “This is a group that hasn’t really been studied in U.N. multilateralism before.”

For example, Dr. Laatikainen will research how these countries support other middle powers like Brazil, India and Turkey in navigating concepts like democracy, market liberalization and human rights.

“I’m really excited to have the time and space to engage in research with colleagues,” Dr. Laatikainen said. “Most of us became professors because we have a real love for doing research and writing. And a Fulbright—especially a research Fulbright—is a perfect opportunity to engage in that thing that stokes our passion for learning.”

Increasing Fulbright program opportunities for students

Nicole Rudolph, PhD, Associate Dean for Student Engagement

Before applying for the FPA Development Initiative, Dr. Rudolph had already created a dedicated office for Prestigious Awards and Fellowships at ��ƽ��, which aims to help students apply for nationally competitive awards. She had her own Fulbright experience as a research scholar working on her doctoral dissertation in France.

“I tell students that even going through an application process for something like Fulbright gets you thinking about your goals and the actions that you’re taking to achieve those goals,” Dr. Rudolph said. ”We want students to think strategically about how these opportunities might fit into their intellectual and professional trajectories.”

Toward that end, Dr. Rudolph will receive in-depth training on Fulbright programming and outreach strategies for students through the FPA program.

“We really get to understand how the application process works and what the committees are looking for to help Fulbright reach untapped pools of students—particularly those from underserved communities,” Dr. Rudolph said.

She’ll also learn about new opportunities available through essential Fulbright programs like the Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship program, which helps students access teaching opportunities in more than 35 languages at hundreds of U.S. institutions. And she’ll meet with advisers and colleagues from the other participating schools.

“I’m already in touch with three program advisers that I met from colleges around the country and we’ve been exchanging ideas,” Dr. Rudolph said. “So I think it’s really working in the way that Fulbright hoped it would.”

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This ��ƽ�� Person Just Became a Jeopardy! Winner: Who Is Nicole Rudolph?

cscala — Tue, 09 May 2023 20:31:52 +0000

A longtime fan of the TV trivia show Jeopardy!, Nicole Rudolph, PhD, never thought she’d be a contestant, but in 2021, her son convinced her take the initial online test. In an episode that aired this year on March 27, she appeared—and won.

“It really was an honor, especially as I felt I was representing ��ƽ�� in addition to my students and myself,” said Dr. Rudolph, a faculty member in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and the Department of History and associate dean for student engagement in the Honors College. “I loved meeting host Ken Jennings—he does a wonderful job of interacting with contestants; he’s been in their shoes and is empathetic.”

Dr. Rudolph, who is also director of the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships, admires Jeopardy!‘s late host, Alex Trebek, as well. “I’m glad, though, that it was Ken hosting. Had I been on in the days of Alex Trebek, one of the things I would have feared was giving an incorrect answer and having Alex say, ‘Oh no,'” she said with a laugh. “I don’t mind being wrong in front of 3.5 million people, but I don’t really want to have to bear the ‘Oh no’!”

Honors College Pride

��ƽ�� students organized a watch party on campus in Waldo Hall to cheer Dr. Rudolph on. “Her constant support for students is greatly appreciated, so many of us wanted to return the favor,” said senior Alexa Amato, a history and adolescent education major who is in the Honors College as well as a resident assistant in Waldo Hall. “The energy in the room was palpable, and every time she answered a question correctly the entire room would erupt in cheering for her. To see one of our own from the Honors College take on Jeopardy! was so special.”

The Delphian, ��ƽ��’s student newspaper, covered the news and the watch party in “”

While it was a year between the time Dr. Rudolph took the first step and when she was invited to a follow-up online session, she was soon invited to go to Los Angeles to be on the show in October—notable in itself as only one-half of 1 percent of all applicants end up on the stage. She got COVID in September, however, so her appearance was delayed until early this year. The shows were recorded and then aired in March.

“It was so much fun watching other episodes being filmed before mine,” she said. “I wasn’t chosen the first day I was there, but that turned out to be a good thing as I had a migraine. I felt good the next day—it was a lucky headache.”

As far as preparation, Dr. Rudolph said she didn’t do a lot, mainly because she was busy with her work at ��ƽ��. “The thing I did study was state capitals, which I hadn’t studied since the sixth grade. I didn’t want to embarrass myself not knowing a capital.”

Setting an Example: It’s OK to Make a Mistake

While she’s proud of having won a match, she also believes that being on the show was a good example for her students about speaking up and not worrying so much about maybe being wrong. In fact, she got her second Final Jeopardy response incorrect because she overthought it, she said. The clue was, “This public agency runs the USA’s busiest bus terminal, opened in 1950 for commuters awed by its polished steel and stone.”

“I thought about Port Authority, but then the wording about running it made me think there must be another aspect to it, so I said MTA,” Dr. Rudolph said. “I guess the lesson is: Go with your gut. I tell my students that, on exams, you know what you know, and if you don’t know, you can’t worry about it. As a teacher, I see a trend in classes in that some students are reticent to speak up; they don’t want to be wrong or judged for how they express themselves.

“I figured one of the great things to come out of this is that I will have gone on this national stage with millions watching, and I’ll answer something wrong. I will definitely lose at some point and come home. I figured that if I can do that, students should feel emboldened and more comfortable in the more intimate, nurturing space of the classroom. Nothing bad happened to me just because I got a few answers wrong.”

The Jeopardy! categories in each game make a big difference, she noted. For example, “Figures of Speech” played to her strengths; “Tough Tough-Guy TV,” not so much.

Dr. Rudolph called the support from the ��ƽ�� community “magnificent.” Along with the watch party, she got multiple emails from retirees, current colleagues, alumni and even her high school drama teacher. “It was fantastic to reconnect with so many people.”

In all, Dr. Rudolph is happy with the whole experience. “It was a lot of fun. I mainly went on for the adventure—and it was a spectacular adventure.”

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As a Fulbright Specialist, a Sociology Professor Seeks to Build Bridges—and a Better World

cscala — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:37:04 +0000

Philosopher and activist , famously said, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” Following that maxim, sociology professor Melanie E. L. Bush, PhD, has spent decades working to build a more equitable, compassionate and socially just world.

Dr. Bush was recently named a , a prestigious honor that connects U.S. academic professionals with institutions worldwide. During a tenure of three years, Dr. Bush will be invited to engage in two- to six-week projects across 24 disciplines and 160 participating countries.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity to apply and expand upon work that I’ve done in the past, but in a different setting,” Dr. Bush said. “To be able to contribute, share and pass on what I’ve been lucky to gain from my experiences—that’s exciting.”

A life dedicated to social justice

Growing up in New York City in the 1960s, Dr. Bush remembers going door-to-door with her father, a schoolteacher, to speak with neighbors about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. She went on to study racial inequality at McGill University, lead grassroots activism efforts and organize “tax the corporations” initiatives in San Francisco and across the United States before transitioning to education.

At ��ƽ��, Dr. Bush has developed a first-year seminar on Community, Love and Justice and published articles such as “” about the evolution and purpose of this concept. She also works as a senior research associate for the University of Johannesburg Centre for Sociological Research and Practice.

“Though I am engaged in multiple realms, they’re all connected,” Dr. Bush said. “They all come from a devotion to ameliorating misery and systemic violence—historic and contemporary—and the belief that we can live in a world that’s caring and loving for all.”

Building bridges through the Fulbright Program

Dr. Bush looks forward to selecting her first of two Fulbright initiatives this summer. Fulbright Specialists, for example, might work with host institutions to deliver training and workshops, develop academic courses, and engage in strategic planning.

“I’m looking forward to building bridges between the U.S. and people in places around the world,” she said. “I feel that every opportunity presented is also a responsibility to give what we can.”

Dr. Bush is also eager to further expand her horizons and meet challenges she will face. “Thinking about racial and economic structures within the context of the U.S. is one thing, but what does it look like when institutions in Australia develop programs to challenge structures founded in white supremacist presumptions?” she said. “What can I offer that would be meaningful to them?”

Dr. Bush will also gain experiences that can complement and inform her other research. Next school year, she’ll be taking a sabbatical to be guest editor for a special issue of the International Journal of Critical Diversity Studies called Freedom Conversations: To Imagine and Build. This volume will focus on “decolonizing diversity” and related structures of power and will be based on discussions with scholars from South Africa, Mexico, Zimbabwe, India, the United States and elsewhere.

Fostering global connections at ��ƽ��

In 2018, Dr. Bush developed a course, The Reshaping of Social Relations in the Modern World, in collaboration with Associate Professor Nokuthula Hlabangane, PhD, at the University of South Africa. As part of the curriculum, ��ƽ�� students engaged in weekly Skype conversations with South African students about social hierarchies and ways to decolonize power.

“At the end of the semester, our students developed plans to decolonize institutions of society like education, healthcare and architecture,” Dr. Bush said. “It was pretty extraordinary.”

The course culminated in presentations at the University of Pretoria by students in the class and at the International Studies Association meeting at the University of Ghana in 2019. Dr. Bush and Dr. Hlabangane also published “,” a chapter about the collaborative project that appeared in the book Psychology of Inequity: Global Issues and Perspectives (Praeger, 2022).

It’s these kinds of connections that Dr. Bush will continue to foster in her work and explore through her Fulbright Specialist experience.

“There’s an interconnectedness to all of my scholarship, my service, my teaching, my life,” Dr. Bush said. “It’s a belief that we will and we must see a better day—and that people are building it all over the world today.”

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Three Fulbright Scholars and More: The Year’s Top Moments in Academics

edinda — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:49:39 +0000

We’ve established new innovative programs that prepare students for in-demand careers and meet the needs of traditional and nontraditional students alike. Our faculty members and students participated in exciting research projects and fellowships, locally and globally.

Take a look at our top moments that showcase the impact of our exceptional academics at ��ƽ��.

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A First at ��ƽ��: Three Students Win Fulbrights

admin — Tue, 31 May 2022 17:20:31 +0000

��ƽ�� has had untold numbers of outstanding students over the years. But it has never had three students who have won prestigious Fulbright awards in the same year. Until now.

The trio—rising senior Dhruv Gupta; Melanie Rosa-Chaves ’22; and doctoral candidate and adjunct professor Jennifer Eileen Reddin Cassar, JD, MSW ’99—will be spending time abroad for periods ranging from 12 weeks to a couple of years, using their skills and knowledge to make the planet a better place.

Fulbright programs have a storied history of sending American scholars and students around the globe to create connections in a complex world. Fulbright grant recipients teach, work and advise in nations around the world, advancing knowledge and increasing cultural understanding.

Studying Macular Degeneration in Canada

Dhruv Gupta, a rising senior majoring in biology in the University’s joint BS/MD program with SUNY Upstate Medical University, won a scholarship with the Gupta, who is considering a career in ophthalmology, will do a 12-week internship in Canada at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He’ll research new methods of retinal image analysis that can help in the treatment of macular degeneration, an eye disorder common in people over the age of 50 that causes reduced vision. “We’ll be using ocular imaging to see how we can detect the illness earlier so patients will have a better prognosis,” Gupta said.

The program is about more than study abroad. “Fulbright’s mission is to cultivate people who will act as ambassadors in their field,” Gupta explained. The program is highly selective. Just 50 top-ranked American undergrads get into the program each year.

Gupta learned of the Fulbright program from Robert Schwartz, EdD, who, until the end of this academic year. was director of ��ƽ��’s Office of Pre-Professional Advising and Fellowships. The office provides students information about their professional field, puts them into the right courses and prepares them for those all-important entrance exams.

“I have a very close relationship with Dr. Schwartz,” Gupta said. “He’s been my number-one mentor. I wanted to meet new people, explore a new environment and get some international experience, so he encouraged me to apply for the Fulbright program. He said ’Hey, you can do this.’ ”

Gupta got up his courage and applied for the Fulbright internship at the last minute, days before the application was due. Dr. Schwarz helped him make the deadline. “He was driving back from a wedding and he edited my (application) essay in the car, while his wife drove the car,” Gupta said. “I don’t think I could have done any of this without him. He’s been wonderful.”

Teaching English in Portugal

Melanie Rosa-Chaves ’22, who graduated in May with degrees in communication sciences and disorders as well as Spanish, won a 2022–2023 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant scholarship that will take her to Portugal this year to teach English at the University of Madeira’s School of Arts and Humanities.

Rosa-Chaves, who is Portuguese American and bilingual, brings special insight into her Fulbright assignment. Her father immigrated from Portugal and her mother was born here to Portuguese parents, so she is steeped in the cultures of both countries.

Rosa-Chaves came to ��ƽ�� for the University’s Levermore Global Scholars (LGS) program, which prepares students to become global thinkers and leaders in a changing world. She also came for the opportunity to study Portuguese.

“��ƽ�� is one of the few schools to offer Portuguese, even though it’s considered a critical language by the U.S. government,” she said. “It turned out that there weren’t enough students for the program, but I was allowed to design an independent study. ��ƽ�� went above and beyond to accommodate my interest.”

She was guided by Neil Miller, PhD, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures, who deepened her understanding of Portuguese literature and opened her eyes to cultural nuances she was unaware of. He also inspired her to apply for the Fulbright, which required six essays, recommendation letters and interviews with the ��ƽ�� Fulbright Committee. Thrilled when she received the fellowship, she will be one of only three college students from the United States to teach in Portugal.

Rosa-Chaves, who has won a National Science Foundation fellowship and was president of the LGS Student Leadership Council this year, will be teaching English language classes to undergraduates at the University of Madeira along with cultural modules to postgraduate students. She sees the experience as an opportunity to “do work that is much bigger than myself,” to make an impact on students in Portugal.

“I want to be a medium to share the similarities between the two cultures,” she said. “I want to show English-language learners that America is diverse and that there are pockets of Portuguese culture in the country. I want to show students that we have much in common, and that it’s important for all of us to remember and respect who we are and where we come from.”

Being on a Dream Team of Global Experts

Jennifer Eileen Reddin Cassar, JD, MSW ’99, a lawyer and adjunct professor in the School of Social Work who is also working on her PhD in social work at ��ƽ��, won a Fulbright Specialist Scholarship, the highest Fulbright honor there is. Fulbright specialists are essentially a dream team of experts who are on call for four years. They go anywhere in the world their expertise is needed to work on projects that make the planet better. Reddin’s area of expertise is social work and the law. She’s a lawyer and social worker who is director of family court practice at the New York-based nonprofit child advocacy group JCCA (formerly known as the Jewish Child Care Association).

Reddin has not officially gotten her first assignment, but she’s in the middle of the matching process that may take her to the Vietnam Women’s Academy, a university in Hanoi, Vietnam, where she will develop a Master of Social Work curriculum. “They have a bachelor’s-level program, but they want a master’s-level program,” Reddin said. She would be working with faculty and administrators there to develop core courses, electives and teacher training. She would do part of the project on site, in Hanoi, and part of it remotely from the United States.

So how does this lawyer, adjunct professor, PhD candidate, nonprofit administrator and mother of three find time to be a Fulbright specialist? “I don’t sleep a lot,” she said.

She decided to go back to ��ƽ�� for her doctorate when her oldest child went away to college. The idea to apply for a Fulbright came when she got an email about the specialist program. She went to an informational session, where she met Carol Cohen, DSW, professor in the ��ƽ�� School of Social Work, who also happened to be a former Fulbright specialist. Meeting Dr. Cohen inspired Reddin. But what really convinced her was the experience she had in a study abroad class in 2020 in Kenya with Anne Mungai, PhD, now associate provost for strategic initiatives and graduate studies, who was then running ��ƽ��’s Global Studies Program. Reddin taught a course at an orphanage there, and even though the class wasn’t for credit, the international studies bug bit her. Reddin wanted to see the world and do good on a global scale.

“My experience in Kenya was amazing,” she says. “It made my application to Fulbright much stronger because I had a global connection to service work. Without the support of ��ƽ�� and Dr. Mungai, I wouldn’t have taken this chance.”

Reddin said her Fulbright experience will help make her better at her work in the United States, too. “Different cultures have the same family problems that we have, and understanding how they approach them could offer good solutions to bring back here,” she explained. “Looking at another culture may make us realize we’re doing this all wrong and that we need to do things differently.”

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Melanie Rosa-Chaves ’22 Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Scholarship

ckatz — Thu, 19 May 2022 19:29:53 +0000

When making her college decision four years ago, Melanie Rosa-Chaves ’22 knew that ��ƽ��’s Levermore Global Scholars (LGS) program was a unique opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Little did she know that the experience would be life-changing, paving the way for her to be awarded a prestigious to pursue lifelong passions: exploring the Portuguese diaspora, promoting cultural awareness and advocating for social justice.

Raised in Central Islip, New York, in a proud Portuguese family—her father was born in Portugal and her mother was born in the United States to Portuguese parents—Rosa-Chaves said her culture always “played a significant role” in her academic career and personal beliefs. Although she is not the first in her family to graduate from college, Rosa-Chaves describes her values, commitment to education, work ethic and struggles as similar to those of many first-generation college students. “I’ve always strived to find the right balance as a Portuguese American and to put my best foot forward,” she said.

With the support of ��ƽ��’s LGS program, Rosa-Chaves was able to design a multidisciplinary academic path and graduate on May 23 with majors in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish and a certificate in translation studies. Her career goal, to work as a speech-language pathologist serving diverse populations, was born out of her grandfather’s struggles to regain speech after suffering a brain injury.

Rosa-Chaves explained, “My grandfather lived in this country but spoke Portuguese. Because there’s hardly any diversity in the profession, we couldn’t find appropriate speech-language therapy services to help him. More people of multicultural backgrounds need to go into this field so we can better serve all populations.” She expects that her fluency in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and study-abroad experiences in Spain, Costa Rica and Belize, will be tremendous assets in working with multicultural communities.

Path to a Fulbright

Her desire for an immersive experience in Portugal led Rosa-Chaves to undergo the rigorous Fulbright Scholarship application process in October 2021, at the suggestion of LGS Administrative Director Peter DeBartolo.

“It was intense,” she said. “Six essays, recommendation letters, interviews with the ��ƽ�� Fulbright Committee,” she said. “I never thought in a million years I’d get it.” She was “thrilled” to get the news that she was one of three college students in the United States to get a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Portugal. She will leave in September for 10 months in the Madeira Islands, teaching English to undergraduates along with various cultural modules to postgraduate students at the University of Madeira. Her plans to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia University have been put on hold for a year.

“For me, experiential learning is the most impactful,” said the Fulbright scholar. “This opportunity aligns academics with my self-purpose … it’s work I’m called to do. I’ll not only help these students explore their self-identities but will learn more about myself.” She added that she’s hoping to break down barriers created by labels. “I’m always going to be viewed as an American when in Portugal but as Portuguese when in America,” said Rosa-Chaves. “I hope to bring the two together and show students that it’s important to remember and respect who you are and where you come from.”

Rosa-Chaves said the Fulbright Scholarship will fuel her desire “to do work that is much bigger than myself.” She added, “My true calling is to give. I’m passionate about education and what that looks like around the world. If I can make a difference by providing insight that impacts the students in Portugal, it will be so rewarding … a highlight of my academic career.” She has received other honors and awards, including a National Science Foundation research fellowship.

Rosa-Chaves said Levermore Global Scholars, for which she served as Student Leadership Council president this year, has been critical to her academic and personal success. “The students and faculty have become my family over the past four years,” she noted. “It’s been an honor to be part of a group that supports international diplomacy and advocacy and social justice through a multidisciplinary lens.”

DeBartolo, who worked closely with Rosa-Chaves, said she is “one of ��ƽ��’s most promising and effective emerging leaders. Her unique experiences, skills, knowledge, resilience and empathy have helped her grow into the global citizen that she is today, and I know she will make a very powerful and positive impact on our world in the years to come.”

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��ƽ�� Social Work Doctoral Candidate Jennifer Eileen Reddin Cassar Awarded Fulbright Specialist Scholarship

ckatz — Tue, 03 May 2022 18:48:52 +0000

As part of the unique Fulbright program, Reddin, a practicing child welfare attorney and a licensed clinical social worker, will engage in two- to six-week project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe.

“I am simply awe-struck by being chosen,” said Reddin of the Fulbright opportunity.

“As an ��ƽ�� student, I had the chance to travel to Wangige, Kenya, with Professor Anne Mungai in January 2020, where I was able to immerse myself in service, culture and global learning.”

While in Kenya, Reddin says she solidified her desire to dive deeper into understanding how social work and law can help create communications and pathways for other communities, something she hopes to extend during her Fulbright upcoming experience abroad. “I was able to design and implement a program to practice social work in a nontraditional setting, specifically a Kenyan school and orphanage,” she said.

An Advocate for Children and Families Around the World

Reddin’s area of interest for research, evaluation and teaching is how to effectively integrate the disciplines of law and social work to better serve families and children. Her years of practicing in both disciplines sparked her desire to develop a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum for legal professionals and social workers to help them understand other roles in the child welfare system.

Practicing law since 1998, Reddin works as the legal director of the Children & Family Legal Services unit of JCCA (formerly known as the Jewish Child Care Association) an New York City foster care agency. As founder of the in-house legal department for the organization, she brings her skills as an attorney and a social worker to create a multidisciplinary practice serving NYC children and families. She received her BSW from New York University, her J.D. from Boston College Law School and her MSW from ��ƽ�� in 1999. She is on track to graduate with her doctorate in 2024.

Currently, Reddin is in the beginning phases of the matching process, which pairs host institutions with Fulbright Specialists. She hopes to be matched with Vietnam Women’s Academy to assist in developing a curriculum for a Master of Social Work program, including recruiting, finalizing the program’s contents, reference materials and teaching methodologies.

Reddin says her long-term goal is to arm the next generation of child welfare lawyers with well-intentioned and purposefully developed “social work brains” and to equip the next generation of social workers with the ability to advocate for their clients within the legal world.

“Like most of the world, I spent 2020 and 2021 wondering what would be out there in the world post-COVID,” Reddin added. “Having this opportunity in 2022 is nothing short of amazing.”

For more information on the Fulbright Specialist Roster, please visit

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