THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999

Professors to broaden minds

By Ingela Ringbjer

On-Line Forty-Niner

From Cal State Long Beach's psychology department to Islamic culture studies in Africa and child development research in Asia, a teacher's work is never done.

That is what Kellina Craig and Susan Nummedal, two psychology professors at CSULB, will experience this summer as they participate in the summer 1999 Fulbright-Hays Fellowship Abroad Program.

As two of 15 educators selected from nationwide, Craig and Nummedal will have the opportunity to spend the summer abroad and conduct a short-term study through the program. The fellowship gives qualified U.S. educators of humanities, social sciences and social studies an opportunity to travel and study the people and culture of foreign countries.

Craig, a social psychology professor, will go to Morocco and Senegal for about seven weeks to study Islamic culture.

"I'm real excited about going," Craig said. "Right now I'm just trying to wind the semester down so I can begin to do some background reading for the program, which they strongly encourage you to do."

During her stay in these two countries, Craig will visit a number of cities. She will meet and do research with numerous educators in middle schools, high schools and universities.

"The purpose of the program is to enable educators to get a good understanding of Islam and Christianity," Craig said. "The idea is that we bring it back to our classroom at some point."

Craig will prepare a project for the Fulbright Commission which includes such things as putting together presentations and planning lessons, she said.

Nummedal, who will travel to Malaysia and Singapore as part of the fellowship program, will research child development in effort to widen her knowledge. She is on leave from CSULB this semester and was not available for comment.