Fulbright
program offers opportunities
By Yi-Fang Vicky Lin
On-line Forty-Niner
Thinking
of studying, researching or teaching English
in other countries without paying any money?
The Fulbright Scholarship is one option
for students to consider.
Linda Olson-Levy, adviser at the Center
for International Education, encourages
Cal State Long Beach students, who are interested
in cross-cultural experiences, to apply
for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
The program offers approximately 1,000 grants
annually in more than 140 countries worldwide,
for outstanding recent graduates, post-graduate
candidates and developing professionals,
conduct research projects or teach English
in countries of their desires.
“It is highly competitive, highly prestigous
program and is actually a scholarship,”
Olson-Levy said. “With this program, you’re
competing with students from Berkeley, Stanford
and Harvard. Most scholars have very high
GPAs.”
Former U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright created
the program in 1946, after World War II.
The original intention of the program was
to prevent further war conflicts between
nations and to enhance the linkages and
friendships among countries.
Jennifer Smith, a Fulbright scholarship
recipient said in an Inside CSULB article,
“The awful occurrence on Sept. 11 reminded
me just how important foreign relations
are and how we, as a human race, need to
broaden our cultural awareness and tolerance.
I believe cultural exchanges like Fulbright
is essential for this reason.”
Olson-Levy said, “Fulbright is for students
to create friendships, linkage with the
hope of opening dialogues among different
cultures.”
The program is highly honored and recognized
throughout the world. Participants not only
benefit from the awards, but the experience
of living in another countries would also
open up the doors to employment and academic
opportunities, Olson-Levy said.
“As an individual, [the experience] is going
to broaden one’s horizons,” she said. “Students
are going to learn another culture, maybe
speak another language. They are going to
have this unique opportunity that they can’t
have here.”
Olson-Levy, the campus Fulbright adviser,
has been helping students to go through
the complicated application process and
provide students with materials and useful
information throughout various workshops
conducted on campus.
“Sometimes it’s never too early to start
planning,” Olson-Levy said. “I recommend
that students who are sophomores get information
and start thinking about this for their
future plans.”
The graduates from CSULB who received the
scholarship previously were Daniel Chaffey
and Jennifer Smith who both went to Germany
and Robin Stevens who went to Taiwan.
The application deadline for the 2004-2005
program will be Oct. 7, 2003. The upcoming
workshop is Friday, 1 to 2 p.m. in Brotman
Hall 201. Individual appointments are also
available. For more information, Linda Olson-Levy
can be reached at 562-985-8440.
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