Khalid Shalan started researching opportunities to study abroad when he could not find proper facilities for his research in his home country of Egypt. After contacting international professors to find the necessary equipment, he came across the Fulbright Program.
“I really appreciate the fact that this is program was made with the intention of avoiding a third world war,” said Shalan, a mechanical engineering researcher at Northwestern University. “It”s not just about traveling, it”s not just about the scientific research. It”s more about being more open to new cultures and letting people know about my own.”
Established in 1946 through legislation passed by former Sen. James William Fulbright, the Fulbright Program aims to promote cultural understanding between countries. Funded primarily through the U.S. State Department, the program provides opportunities and grants for participants to work, study and conduct research at universities across the U.S.
The program offers about 8,000 grants annually to participants in over 155 countries, who are chosen for leadership skills and academic success.
Starting Monday, 70 Fulbright graduate students and researchers arrived in Moscow to attend the Fulbright Gateway Orientation. Orientation participants attended sessions designed to familiarize themselves with U.S. customs and the Fulbright Program itself.
“When you are preparing someone to enter a new culture, there are some basic skills that you can teach and that you can learn to be more effective – what we call cultural general skills,” said Susie Bender, executive director of International Engagement and Programs at the University of Idaho. “There”s cultural general and cultural specific skills. We try to do a little bit of both.”
Shalan said he hopes to take the cultural differences he learns through the program back to Egypt to change colleges there. While Egyptians study hard and are provided with a good education, he said, there should be more to student life.
“As far as the science itself, we”re covered. But just the science does not create a good person,” he said. “If I am very well educated in terms of engineering and have no cultural activities – no independence of thought, freedom to form organizations, to act independently – this is really critical to forming an independent thinker.”
Highlights of the weeklong orientation included the chance to interact with Fulbright graduates and a trip to Hell”s Canyon for a boat tour. Bender said the trip to Hell”s Canyon was chosen to give participants a chance to network, to teach participants the history surrounding the canyon and to allow participants see a unique, beautiful landmark.
This year marks the second time UI has hosted the Fulbright Gateway Orientation program. UI received a grant of $66,399 from the State Department to fund the event, after the university was selected in a competitive nationwide application process.
Shenandoah Sampson, a program officer in the State Department”s Office of Academic Exchange Programs, said colleges are selected to host the program for a variety of reasons including compliance to guidelines, available support at the college for the program and ability to provide an orientation applicable for many host institutions.
“We were very happy with the University of Idaho last year and are excited to do it again this year,” Sampson said.
Hosting the program offers many benefits to the university and students, Bender said. She said hosting so many scholars raises the profile of the university.
“One of the reasons we applied for this grant is that Fulbright is a very prestigious organization,” she said. “One of the ways raise the profile of a university is that you attract high quality students and scholars. And Fulbright are the highest quality of students and scholars.”
Aleya Ericson can be reached at [email protected]