Back row, left to right: Bryan Furman, Senay Kahsay, Nathan Taylor, Amaka Cypriana Uzoh, Julie Baer, Megan Echols, Patrick Kramer, Joshua Martin, Derrell Acon, Allie D. Surina; Front row, left to right: Armaan Siddiqi, Ilana Robbins Gross, Aditya Voleti, Stephanie Herzog, Joanie Andruss, Tiffany Burd, Kristine Lin, Christina Aguila, Radhameris Gomez Gabriel (not pictured, Larena Nellies-Ortiz and Taylor Bernard)
On Wednesday, December 10, 21 newly selected Fulbright U.S. Student Program Alumni Ambassadors met in Washington, DC to receive training on how to promote and recruit for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Staff members from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the Institute of International Education (IIE), along with previous Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors, shared tips on giving an effective presentation and emphasized the unique, important role that Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors play in inspiring diverse students, Fulbright Program Advisers, college administrators – and anyone interested in the program – to learn more about it and the power of educational and cultural exchange.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Alumni Ambassador Program was established in 2008 to identify, train and engage a select group of approximately 15-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni to serve as representatives, recruiters and spokespersons for the Fulbright Program. They are selected annually through recommendations from Fulbright Commissions, U.S. Embassy staff, area managers, the Fulbright Student Program Outreach Division and approved by the Fulbright Program’s sponsor, ECA. Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors come from an array of different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, states, fields of study, institutions and have participated in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in all world areas.
Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors represent the program’s rich diversity and play a key role in increasing knowledge about Fulbright opportunities. They provide testimonials about their Fulbright experiences at conferences and campus presentations, and offer application tips in written articles, webinars and at special events throughout the United States.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program relies on the Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors to share with potential applicants what the Fulbright experience is really like and how to successfully address the challenges of living abroad while meeting the Fulbright Program’s ultimate goal – to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
Here’s a preview of the 2015 Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors:
Derrell Acon
Current City: Cincinnati, OH
Institution: University of Cincinnati
Fulbright U.S. Student in Voice – Italy, 2013-2014
Christina Aguila
Current City: Brooklyn, NY
Institution: University of California, San Diego
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Indonesia, 2013-2014
Joanie Andruss
Current City: Boise, ID
Institution: Lesley University
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Montenegro, 2013-2014
Julie Baer
Current City: Cambridge, MA
Institution: Centre College
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Malaysia, 2011-2012
Taylor Bernard
Current City: Cleveland Heights, OH
Institution: Spelman College
Fulbright U.S. Student in International Relations – Costa Rica, 2012-2013
Tiffany Burd
Current City: Austin, TX
Institution: University of Texas at Austin
Fulbright U.S. Student in Public Health – South Africa, 2013-2014
Megan Echols
Current City: Somerville, MA
Institution: Howard University
Fulbright U.S. Student in Urban Development & Planning – Colombia, 2013-2014
Bryan Furman
Current City: Arlington, VA
Institution: College of New Jersey
Fulbright U.S. Student in International Relations – Tajikistan, 2013-2014
Radhameris Gomez Gabriel
Current City: Hadley, MA
Institution: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Fulbright U.S. Student in Engineering – Spain, 2013-2014
Stephanie Herzog
Current City: San Antonio, TX
Institution: The University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Romania, 2012-2013
Senay Kahsay
Current City: Seattle, WA
Institution: Seattle University
Fulbright U.S. Student in Business – Ethiopia, 2013-2014
Patrick Kramer
Current City: Chicago, IL
Institution: University of Notre Dame
Fulbright U.S. Student in Chemistry – Singapore, 2013-2014
Kristine Lin
Current City: Fresh Meadows, NY
Institution: Arizona State University
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – South Korea, 2013-2014
Joshua Martin
Current City: Brooklyn, NY
Institution: Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Fulbright-Clinton Fellow – Cote d’Ivoire, 2012-2013
Larena Nellies-Ortiz
Current City: Richmond, CA
Institution: University of San Francisco
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Germany, 2013-2014
Ilana Robbins Gross
Current City: Oakland, CA
Institution: Wesleyan University
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant – Brazil, 2012-2013
Armaan Siddiqi
Current City: Detroit, MI
Institution: Loyola University Chicago
Fulbright U.S. Student in Anthropology – Morocco, 2011-2012
Allie D. Surina
Current City: New York, NY
Institution: Western Kentucky University
Fulbright U.S. Student in Education – China, 2012-2013
Nathaniel Taylor
Current City: Philadelphia, PA
Institution: Drexel University
Fulbright U.S. Student in Engineering – South Korea, 2013-2014
Amaka Cypriana Uzoh
Current City: Atlanta, GA
Institution: Harvard University
Fulbright U.S. Student in Public Health – Brazil, 2012-2013
Aditya Voleti
Current City: Kansas City, MO
At-Large
Fulbright U.S. Student in Mathematics – India, 2011-2012
4 Comments
Congratulations to you all and good luck. Long live the fulbright program.
I AM A CHIEF MAGISTRATE GRADE I, IN EDO STATE JUDICIARY,NIGERIA. MY QUALIFICATIONS ARE LLBHONS,BL, LLM ,PhD(LAW),PhD (STRATEGIC STUDIES), MPA(PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION), AND DIPLOMA (BIBLE AND THEOLOGY). I AM INTRESTED IN THE PROGRAM,IN THE AREA OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS. AFTER MY TRAINING, I SHALL RETURN TO NIGERIA TO CHAMPION,INITIATE,DEVELOP, AND CARRY OUT LAUDADLE REFORMS IN THE LEGAL AND JUSICE SECTOR.MY CURRICULUM VITAE AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE NOW ON REQUEST. MAY ALMIGHTY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU GREATLY,AS YOU CONTINUE TO TRANSFORM NATIONS AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, AMEN.
Alfred, to learn more about applying to the Fulbright Program as a Nigerian citizen, please click here: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/fulbright_program.html and here: http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/country/nigeria. Good luck!