Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - Dr. Garcia Andres - Mexico (WHA)

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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley hosted Dr. Adelaido García Andrés from Mexico in Fall 2022.  Dr. García Andrés taught a master’s level social work research course imbued with cultural and contextual nuances of Mexico and collaborated with several faculty members on research projects. One of the lasting effects of Dr. García Andrés’ time as a S-I-R was the unanimous faculty approval for the development of a binational PhD in Social Work between Dr. García Andrés’ home institution and UTRGV. The Founding Dean of the School of Social Work at UTRGV, Dr. Torres-Hostos, says this developing, long-term collaboration is “thanks in great part to Dr. García Andrés’ ability to socialize the benefits and excitement of the program.” 

Georgia State University – Dr. Aline Pagnussat- Brazil (WHA) 

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Georgia State University hosted Brazilian scholar, Dr. Aline Pagnussat for the 2022-23 academic year. Dr. Pagnussat taught classes on motor-control learning and neuroscience, which she will continue to offer at GSU remotely from Brazil as she was appointed as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. Dr. Pagnussat helped facilitate connections between GSU and the Brazilian Consulate in Atlanta, GA with invitations to participate in cultural celebration events, continuing the educational internationalization efforts that are central to the S-I-R program.

University of South Alabama- Dieudonne Gnammankou – Benin (AF) 

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Dr. Dieudonne Gnammankou, a scholar from Benin, was hosted by the University of South Alabama during the 2022-23 academic year. Dr. Gnammankou taught two classes on Africa and the African Diaspora, a topic not taught at this institution for 15 years. While teaching, Dr. Gnammankou assisted in developing a position outline for a sub-Saharan African scholar for a future hire at the University of South Alabama, facilitating a continuation of a broadened African diaspora education. While in Mobile, AL, Dr. Gnammankou regularly met with the planning committee for the Africatown Heritage House Museum exhibit on the Clotilda, the last known ship to bring African slaves to the U.S. which originated in Dr. Gnammankou’s home country of Benin. Dr. Gnammankou connected with the many Beninese descendants in Mobile, establishing personal relationships outside his host institution, with several locals planning travel to Benin.

Texas A&M University Corpus Christi - Dr. Eunsil Kho – South Korea (EAP)

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Texas A&M University Corpus Christi hosted Dr. Eunsil Kho of South Korea for the 22-23 academic year. Dr. Kho, a specialist in the history of Korean art, taught Modern Asian History and an introductory course in Museum Studies, using Asian history as a framework. During her time in Corpus Christi, Dr. Kho was introduced to elements of Mexican-American, Hispanic-American, Tejanx, and Chicanx culture in South Texas. This was through, in part, teaching at an HSI, participating in programming at the Texas Museum of Asian Cultures, and through meals with colleagues at local restaurants. Dr. Kho and her family were excited to discover similarities between authentic Mexican cuisine and Korean cuisine!

University of Pennsylvania – Kenji Ishida – Japan (EAP)

University of Pennsylvania hosted Dr. Kenji Ishida from Japan for the spring semester of 2022-2023 academic year. Dr. Ishida taught Contemporary Japanese Society in the Sociology department. This was the first course offered about Japan in by the Sociology Department in over 2 decades. Dr. Ishida’s course offerings helped spur other departments to consider where a Japanese perspective is lacking. Dr. Ishida was a wonderful cultural ambassador for Japan. The students and faculty of UPenn learned a great deal from him not only about his special expertise in Japanese migration and equality in contemporary Japan but also about his home institution, the University of Tokyo, the metropolis of Tokyo, and the discipline of Sociology in Japan. For his part, Dr. Ishida was delighted with his first full immersion in American academic culture and, especially the robust tradition of craft beer in Philadelphia! 

Washington State University- Kah Hoe Yii – Malaysia (EAP) 

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Washington State University hosted Malaysian scholar and musician Kah Hoe Yii for the 2022-2023 academic year. While teaching composition seminars and individual composition lessons, Professor Yii created units for WSU’s Global Music course on the music of Southeast Asia and recording techniques for aspiring ethnomusicologists. He also collaborated with faculty to create a new course on Sound Art for the core general education program at WSU. Professor Yii was the guest artist for the Festival of Contemporary Music, which featured 6 concerts that were livestreamed for audiences around the world. Yii also completed interactive performances for young students at local schools, where students were encouraged to participate in making their own live soundscapes with a 360⁰ microphone. Professor Yii’s relationship with WSU will continue as both students and faculty of WSU have plans to travel to Malaysia to study music and perform with Professor Yii again. 

Snow College- Satya Sundar Sethy- India (SCA) 

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Snow College hosted Dr. Satya Sundar Sethy of India, for the 2022-23 school year. Dr. Sethy enriched curricula with examples of non-western perspectives during guest lectures, conference presentations, and courses. He taught about the four stages of life in Hindu philosophy and inspired faculty at Snow College to arrange additional Indian scholars to guest lecture. Dr. Sethy was a committed assistant coach for the Ethics Bowl team, where he helped Snow College go to the national competition, ranking 28^th in the nation, and later co-wrote an article about the coaching experience and its relevance to a general education ethics class. 

Florida State University – Simon Najm- Lebanon (NEA) 

Florida State University hosted Lebanese scholar Dr. Simon Najm for the 22-23 academic year who taught about Middle East films and other cultural topics focused on the Middle East. Dr. Najm’s course on religious and cultural minorities in the Middle East was a brand-new course at FSU. Outside the classroom, Dr. Najm was very involved in the events of FSU’s Middle East Center, participating in a lecture series, international coffee hours, presenting on the benefits of the Fulbright program, and a Middle East film festival. 
 

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The United States Naval Academy (Annapolis, MD) hosted Dr. Sebastian Bruns of Germany during the 2021-2022 academic year as the inaugural recipient of the Fulbright S-I-R McCain award, established to honor the legacy of the late Senator John McCain. “As we had hoped, Dr. Bruns brought a new depth to our knowledge and teaching of maritime strategy ... connect[ing] with the Midshipmen in his classes and enhanc[ing] their understanding of the importance of other cultures and countries,” writes Commander David Richardson. Dr. Bruns became a cherished member of the community, participating in activities such as pickleball, Trivial Pursuit, and log canoe sailing along the Chesapeake.   

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Feminist Egyptian scholar Dr. Mona Ahmed Ashour taught at Santa Fe College, a community college in Florida, during the 2021-2022 academic year. Apart from teaching courses in literature, history, and world religions, Dr. Ashour shared her knowledge of Egypt and Egyptian culture through campus lectures, public community talks, and presentations to K-12 students. “The K-12 students who met with her were enthralled by her presentations. Most were from rural North Central Florida and had never met an Egyptian or an Arab/Muslim woman,” writes Dr. Vilma Fuentes, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and 2022-2024 Fulbright S-I-R Alumni Host Mentor. Dr. Ashour spoke about her life as an Egyptian woman on Santa Fe College’s podcast, Developing Global Citizens. 

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Binghamton University and SUNY Broome Community College in New York jointly hosted Chilean attorney Professor Jaime Godoy during the 2021-2022 academic year. Godoy shared his expertise on human rights and international law in Latin America by teaching courses on Businesses, Human Rights, and Atrocity Prevention and International Human Rights. “Students in particular were really enthusiastic about learning from a non-traditional instructor, with extensive real-world experience in law, international human rights advocacy, extensive experience in international institutions, negotiation and diplomacy,” notes Dr. Max Pensky, I-GMAP Co-Director and Professor of Philosophy at Binghamton University.  

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Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU in Austin, Texas, hosted Dr. Chigbo Donatus Ngige of Nigeria during the 2021-2022 academic year. Along with teaching a two-part course on “How to Do Business in West Africa,” Dr. Ngige provided valuable input to the African Study Abroad Committee. He participated in many community and campus events, such as Black MBA Association of Austin and Austin African Chamber of Commerce events, a “Welcome the Fulbright” session, and a Thanksgiving Dinner with faculty and students. Dr. Ngige’s  tenure “enhanced student learning” and “provided the students with exposure to a variety of cultural, religious, and ethnic experiences,” writes Dr. Steven Edmond, Dean Emeritus of the Office of International Programs. 

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The University of Houston hosted Czech historian Dr. Ivan Pus during the 2021-2022 academic year. In addition to teaching courses on European nationalisms and Eastern European Jewry, Dr. Pus strengthened UH’s connections with the Czech Center Museum of Houston, New York’s Czech community, and UT Austin. Dr. Alexey Golubev, Assistant Professor of Russian history, writes: “For our students, an opportunity to interact with a foreign scholar as a professor or mentor was indispensable ... Dr. Pus’s active community outreach also brought him in touch with many second-, third-, and fourth-generation Czech Americans, giving them a better understanding of the culture of the Czech Republic.”

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Internationally acclaimed artist Dr. Stacey Sacks of Zimbabwe and Sweden was hosted by Naugatuck Valley Community College (Waterbury, CT) during the 2021-2022 academic year. At NVCC, Dr. Sacks contributed to the International Center for the Arts Festival, created an original theatre production entitled Ubu Toxica! with students, and led Shakespeare and The Wizard of Oz community youth theatre workshops. As Dr. Lisa Dresdner, CEO at NVCC, describes: “While stressing the importance of failure and the value of being inquisitive, Dr. Sacks has empowered our students into identifying, trusting, and giving voice to their internal instincts regarding art, performance, literature, music, and social justice. The legacy of her ground-breaking work will inform the college for many years to come.”

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Florida Memorial University, an HBCU in Miami Gardens, FL, hosted Dr. Jemima Amoah of Ghana during the 2021-2022 academic year. As one of the team instructors for International Business, Dr. Amoah helped students "gain significant intercultural skills," connecting FMU School of Business students with University of Ghana Business School students. She also provided valuable input on FMU’s vision of an internationalized campus through the Campus Internationalization Committee. As Dr. Bill Jong-Ebot, Associate Professor, writes, by connecting the University of Ghana with FMU to design study abroad and faculty exchange initiatives, Dr. Amoah “had a long-term impact on our institution.”  

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Patricia Mejia-Cairo, a chef from the Dominican Republic, taught at Pima Community College (Tucson, AZ) during the 2021-2022 academic year. Patricia “brought her country’s culture and cuisine to our program,” “contribut[ing] a wealth of knowledge through her teaching as well as course development,” writes Jewel Mideau, Associate Director of Hospitality Leadership. She helped develop online courses for PCC’s Baking & Pastry Certificate and led several culinary demos for undergraduate and high school dual enrollment students. Mejia-Cairo participated in campus activities such as a Halloween costume contest, Thanksgiving Pie & Cider, College Signing Day, and Pueblo Del Maíz.  

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Maria Augusta Zhunio of Ecuador taught at Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama during the 2021-2022 academic year. Zhunio made significant contributions to BSC’s Spanish program, as Professor of Spanish Dr. Barbara Domcekova writes: “The presence of a native speaker of Spanish had an enormous impact on the students; it added variety to the course offerings and brought new energy to our small Spanish program.” Zhunio led many student-facing cultural events, such as “Lunch with the Fulbright,” a campus-wide talk on Ecuador for National Hispanic Heritage month, and several Bailoterapia (a popular outdoor exercise activity in Ecuador) sessions with her husband.  

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Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.)—a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students—hosted STEM researcher Dr. Ingo Barth of Germany during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Barth conversed and taught courses in American Sign Language, attending workshops on best practices in pedagogy for Gallaudet students. Dr. Barth met with President Bobbi Cordano and was an invited guest speaker at the 5th anniversary celebration of Streetcar 82, a local deaf-owned brewery. Though Dr. Barth’s visit was brief, he had a meaningful impact, notes Dr. Caroline Solomon, Director of the School of STAMP: faculty described Dr. Barth as “a gem in their midst,” adding “they hoped he could come back as they could see how much more he could contribute to the school and Gallaudet.” 

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Virginia Tech University and Hollins University in Virginia co-hosted Kenyan public health expert and parasitologist Dr. Isabell Kingori during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Kingori shared her expertise in vector-borne diseases in Kenya and other developing countries, “provid[ing] a valuable international perspective,” writes Dr. Elizabeth Gleim, Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Hollins. Dr. Kingori also helped establish a new study abroad partnership between Hollins and her home institution, Kenyatta University in Nairobi. In the community, Dr. Kingori delivered presentations to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and youth at the Virginia 4-H Teen Summit.

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Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ) hosted Dr. Metin Atmaca of Turkey during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Atmaca “contributed to the internationalization of Rowan’s campus" by teaching four courses, including a world history course and popular upper-level course on religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East. Dr. Atmaca’s teaching helped “sparked [students’] interest in learning more about other cultures, made them less likely to believe in stereotypes about other cultures, and more understanding of different world views,” writes Dr. Corinne Blake, Senior Associate Dean. Outside of teaching, Dr. Atmaca spoke about Turkey and the Middle East at his son’s elementary school, participated in a T-ball team, and attended activities at the local mosque. 

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Ghanaian social historian Dr. Cyrelene Amoah-Boampong taught at Mount St. Mary’s University (MD) during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Amoah-Boampong engaged in “refreshingly candid conversation[s]” with students, faculty, and staff on issues such as Mount St. Mary’s DEI initiatives and higher education in Ghana and the U.S. Dr. Amoah-Boampong “engaged with students everywhere she went,” even attending a student field trip to Washington, D.C. Dr. Boyd Creasman, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, wrote enthusiastically of her long-term impact: “I think her greatest contribution will be in her conversations about how to diversify our Core Curriculum.”  

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Bridgewater State University (MA) hosted Dr. Medha Bhattacharyya of India during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Bhattacharyya taught several courses on South Asian culture, literature, and film and shared her knowledge of Bollywood films, Indian culture, and education to the campus at large. Apart from teaching, Dr. Bhattacharyya led several cultural enrichment activities in the community, including “work[ing] with senior citizens in cultural enrichment activities on India” through the Senior College and “participat[ing] in many university and community events with local non-profit organizations such as the Rotary Clubs,” writes Dr. Wing-kai To, Assistant Provost for Global Engagement. 

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Bossier Parish Community College (Bossier City, LA) hosted Dr. Sandra Carballo of Belize during the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Carballo had a meaningful impact on BPCC students, who are “diverse and under-resourced, with few chances to travel outside the region,” writes Allison Martin, Director of Institutional Effectiveness Initiatives. Dr. Carballo’s lectures on Belize’s culture led students to "compare/contrast the cultures [of Belize and Louisiana] using touchpoints from their own community.” Beyond BPCC, Dr. Carballo explored Louisiana, touring local gardens and wildlife areas, eating local Cajun and Creole food, and visiting several smaller towns where BPCC students live. 

• 2007 to 2023 S-I-R Awarded Institutions

Updated: May 22, 2018
Source: Google Map
Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Institutions by location since 2007