Fulbright is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government in partnership with nations around the world.听听

Overall, the Fulbright Program awards approximately 9,000 merit-based scholarships in the United States and more than 160 countries every year to accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields. Fulbrighters study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to complex global challenges.听听

For the past several years, 91福利社 has focused on increasing the number of students who apply for a Fulbright Scholarship.听听

Among the applicants is Paris Freeman, a senior biochemistry major. Having been involved with the 91福利社 Center for Cancer Research, Freeman set a goal to pursue more research opportunities and also to become an oncologist. She is looking into a master鈥檚 in cancer biology program offered through the Imperial College of London.听

鈥�I think the main ways it would benefit me personally would be to not only have grown my knowledge base through the research project and through those courses that are available, but also forming more worldwide connections,鈥� Freeman said, adding that the research component would benefit her as she makes plans to further her doctoral studies.听听

William McArtor-Cline, a double major in biology and biochemistry, also has his sights set on studying in the UK. Previous travels to Panama with the AU Abroad program and a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic while in high school inspired him to pursue more study abroad opportunities.听

McArtor-Cline applied for the open award to potentially go to the University of Bath. He eventually wants to enter a Ph.D. program in the UK.听听

鈥�The Fulbright really stood out to me,” he said. “Looking at the Fulbright, not only is it an opportunity to address some of the financial concerns, but it also gives you the opportunity to search out a community and make a place for yourself that is more like home, even though you’re in a place that you’ve never been.鈥�听

Mary Green, a senior majoring in elementary and early childhood education, is applying for an English teaching assistant position in Moldova, where she hopes to help students grow in their English vocabulary and using conversational English. She would also give presentations to familiarize Moldovan students with various aspects of American culture.听

Green, who previously had traveled to Poland and Romania, was drawn to apply for the Fulbright because of their strong emphasis on cultural connections and on finding ways to bridge gaps between American culture and other cultures offering positive ways to learn and grow together.听

鈥�I feel it aligns with my values as an educator…. having experience internationally, working directly with students will be great for professional growth,鈥� Green said.听 鈥淚 feel it fits my values of servant leadership.鈥�听

Luanne Plemmons, a senior majoring in computer engineering, originally considered a healthcare career, but found she could study engineering and make meaningful contributions to healthy living.听

鈥�I’m hoping to do a master of science in artificial intelligence specifically focused on the heart disease research that I was doing,鈥� said Plemmons, who hopes to study in Scotland if she is awarded the scholarship. 鈥淚’m interested in the machine learning aspect of taking data analytics, taking that heart disease data, and then implementing it in a way that predicts whether or not patients are likely to see potential heart disease risk factors in the future.鈥�听

Plemmons sees in the Fulbright program a great way to marry graduate studies with traveling.听

Some of the 2025 Fulbright applicants. From left, Paris Freeman, William McArtor-Cline, Mary Green and Luanne Plemmons.

Making Fulbright Connections听

Dr. Ann-Margaret J. Themistocleous, Director of the Center for Global Engagement, has recently been selected as a Fulbright Specialist from 2025 to 2028. In this capacity, she will provide consultation to universities abroad regarding the development of partnerships with U.S. colleges.听

Faculty Scholars听

Additionally, 91福利社 has had several faculty members receive involving teaching and research abroad, helping to build international connections and share expertise with other countries. These include Professor of Finance and Economics Dr. Kent Saunders (Belarus), Organizational Leadership Professor Dr. Anthony Caito (Brazil), and English Professor Dr. Kolawole Olaiya (Nigeria). Associate Professor of History Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg is currently conducting research in Norway.听

About the Fulbright Program听听

The Fulbright Program is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program provides participants, who represent the breadth of U.S. society and of societies abroad and are chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential, with the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, pursue professional projects, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international challenges. Grants are available for U.S. citizens to travel abroad and for non-U.S. citizens to come to the U.S. The Fulbright Program is an important element of the United States鈥� bilateral relationships with countries around the world. U.S. and foreign governments jointly set priorities for the exchanges.听听

The 91福利社 Center for Global Engagement has Fulbright Program Advisors available to assist students with their application. Find out more about Fulbright and other available scholarships here. Details about the Fulbright Program can be found at .听

The post Taking Great Academics Global appeared first on 91福利社.

During the middle of March, spring break means 鈥渨heels up鈥� for several 91福利社 students who will be traveling to distant lands to learn about them in the best way possible鈥攆irsthand.听

91福利社 College of Business Professor Scott Whitaker and a group of students are traveling to Greece over the break, visiting ancient sites around the country considered to be the Cradle of Civilization. They will explore the Parthenon and also follow the Apostle Paul鈥檚 footsteps at Corinth and Mars Hill.听

Whitaker said he and his group will also get to observe the Greek economy firsthand, visiting the Corinthian canal, a major economic waterway in Greece and learning about olives, Greece鈥檚 homegrown contribution to the world. They will also fly to Crete and see the original/oldest settlement in Europe in Knossos. They’ll also learn about culture and life on a Greek island and possibly walk on the pink sands of Elaffonisi Beach.听听

Another group is traveling to a world-renowned cradle of classical music. 91福利社 Music Professor Howard Kim and another group of听students will together follow in the footsteps of composers Ludwig von Beethoven and Wolfgang A. Mozart, visiting their birth cities of Bonn, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. They will travel to Vienna, the city where they rose to cultural prominence, ultimately gifting the world with their timeless compositions.听

According to Kim, Vienna at the time was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. The students will tour the composers鈥� homes, go to operas and concerts in each city, and see other sites including museums of composers influenced by the legacy of Beethoven and Mozart.听

Professors James Duncan and Lindsay Privette will be traveling with students to experience the history and culture of Germany, visiting Mainz, Worms, Eisanach and the Wartburg (castle), Erfurt, Wittenberg, and Berlin. They will also travel to Geneva, Switzerland. The trip鈥檚 focus will be on Gutenberg, Martin Luther and Calvin. They鈥檒l be exploring the relationship between Gutenberg鈥檚 invention, the printing press, and the Protestant Reformation, ushered in by Martin Luther a little more than 500 years ago.

The AU Abroad classes are reviewed by faculty on the Global Engagement Committee and approved by Academic Affairs. They are coordinated with the assistance and support of Dr. Ann-Margaret J. Themistocleous, director for the Center for Global Engagement and their staff. If you are interested in studying abroad, please contact a study abroad advisor at studyabroad@andersonuniversity.edu to explore your options. 91福利社 offers a broad range of programs including short-term, summer and semester programs.听

The post Students Experiencing European Business, Culture, History Over Spring Break appeared first on 91福利社.

鈥淭he significance of the Gilman scholarship for me cannot be understated. Not only is it a privilege, but also an enjoyable challenge to be more intentional and pensive before, during and after studying abroad,鈥� Morgan said. 鈥淭he essays required for the application, the pre-departure steps after receiving it and the follow up service project create a thorough line of reflection. Moreover, the finances of the scholarship, along with other financial aid, are what enabled me to study abroad. In other words, without the money provided by the scholarship, I could not afford the trip. Therefore, I am very grateful for the incredible opportunity it bestowed me to truly experience another culture and language firsthand.鈥�听

Morgan appreciates the opportunity to immerse herself in Spanish culture.听

鈥�I always loved studying Spanish in middle and high school but I didn鈥檛 pursue it very far. But taking Spanish in college, it just reignited that and knowing that I would be in a different country and a different culture and surrounded by this language. I thought that would be really instrumental to my practice learning and understanding of the language,鈥� she said.听

Morgan鈥檚 trip to Spain represented some firsts for Morgan鈥攈er first time flying and first trip out of the country. She enjoyed experiencing the history and culture of Seville and surrounding cities, including a day at Cadiz on the Mediterranean coast. She also traveled to neighboring Portugal. 听

鈥淲e got to see the cathedrals and the center of the city and got to spend a couple of hours on the beach. We also went to a palace, the Casa de Pilatos. That was probably one of my favorite days,鈥� she said.听

Morgan enjoyed being able to walk to her classes at Trinity Christian College from the home of her host and adds that public transportation has been readily available as well. Her classes are The Golden Age of Spain and Modern Spanish Culture.听

鈥淭he classes are a little bit longer. We have them from 9:30 to about 1 p.m. with a 30-minute break at 11, and of course they are all conducted in Spanish,” she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been cool to not only learn the history but to learn it in a different language and then we also have been visiting the sites we talk about. It鈥檚 been really cool to actually be able to go out and see these centuries-old places with this history we just learned in the classroom.鈥�听

Morgan has learned to appreciate the different rhythm of daily life in Spain.听

鈥淭hey have three blocks of the day based on meal times. Eight a.m. to 1 p.m. is technically morning for them. And then from 2 to 5 is the siesta time. That鈥檚 when you eat and then you maybe take a nap and rest your eyes a little bit. That鈥檚 when most stores are closed. I do some homework if I can. You have the entire afternoon, and then from 6 until 9 people are out. It鈥檚 like a whole second half of the day. We eat dinner at about 9:30 p.m., which is very different from what I鈥檓 used to,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he days feel longer and it feels like we take more advantage of them. I think that鈥檚 also why it feels like I鈥檝e been here for a long time. That was one thing I definitely had to adjust to, but it wasn鈥檛 a bad thing at all.鈥�听

Morgan has also enjoyed spending time with her host and getting to know classmates from all over.听听

鈥淚 really love my host mom. I live with her and her older sister. I鈥檝e met some of her siblings and her children. And then also it鈥檚 been cool meeting the other students鈥攕ome from California, Washington state, Illinois鈥攏ot only am I meeting people from Spain who grew up in Spain but also people who grew up in different areas of the United States,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 doing an Instagram takeover. I get to be logged into the Semester in Spain program鈥檚 Instagram and record my daily experiences for prospective students to see what it鈥檚 like.鈥�听

Semester in Spain takes place at Trinity Christian College: Seville. Morgan is taking Modern Spanish Culture and Language, and also Spanish Literature.听听听

鈥淵ou learn so much and so much more naturally and quickly by being in that immersive setting of having to speak to your host mom in Spanish, watching television with them, speaking during lunch, listening to your professors in Spanish and answering questions in Spanish and answering questions in Spanish. Ordering coffee and all of these different things you would normally do and you鈥檙e doing it in your second language鈥攊t’s reinforcing that,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing able to live in the place you鈥檙e studying, and especially with a host family, is such a unique cultural experience that you can鈥檛 recreate.鈥�听

The Gilman Scholarship听

A congressionally funded program of the at the , the Gilman Scholarship was named after the late congressman Benjamin A. Gilman from New York. The International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 established the program. Details about the Gilman Scholarship can be found online at .听听听

The AU Center for Global Engagement听

The 91福利社 Center for Global Engagement directs short-term programs, mission trips, faculty-led experiential learning programs and semester-long programs. 91福利社 has cooperative agreements so students can take part in semester-long programs in such countries as: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the Netherlands and Uganda.听听

For more information, contact the Center for Global Engagement at studyabroad@andersonuniversity.edu or (864) 231-2141.听听

The post Semester in Spain: Morgan Experiences Spanish Culture appeared first on 91福利社.

While it鈥檚 true in these connected times that the world seems a smaller place, there鈥檚 simply no substitute for traveling outside of our boundaries and experiencing firsthand how people live in other parts of the world and becoming immersed in different cultures.

During February 26, National Study Abroad Day, 91福利社 recognizes how important it is for students to go beyond the familiar and broaden their worldview. Some of the 91福利社 students who are currently studying abroad shared their experiences below.

Oxford, England: Karah Snyder

Karah Snyder loves all things British. Inspired by the books she鈥檚 read that are set in England, Snyder has dreamed of going to England for a long time.

鈥淥ne of the most surprising things about England as a country has been how right and familiar it feels,鈥� she said.

The junior honors student from Irmo, South Carolina, is majoring in Dance and minoring in English and also Christian Studies. This semester, Snyder is an associate member of Wycliffe Hall and is part of Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO), which is affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). In addition to studying at Oxford, a world renowned seat of higher education whose alumni include J.R.R. Tolkein and Lewis Carroll, Snyder has enjoyed side trips so far to historic Bath as well as the the scenic rolling hills of the Cotswolds in southwest England.听

鈥淥xford operates off of a tutorial system,鈥� Snyder explained. 鈥淲e meet one-on-one with a tutor in a specific class once a week or once every other week, depending on the class. I’m taking two tutorials and I’m taking English classes. I’m an English minor, so I’m fulfilling most of my minor requirements over here. In particular, I鈥檓 focusing on Medieval Literature… My secondary tutorial that meets every other week is on Icelandic Sagas. I knew I loved Middle English literature; I knew nothing about Icelandic Sagas; So I kind of picked both to give myself a variety. That has been really fun.鈥澨�

Taking a 40-minute walk from the Victorian house she shares with other students in the SCIO program, Snyder gets her steps in. She鈥檚 also fascinated by the extensive network of footpaths the British enjoy.听

鈥淭hey have a bigger walking and cycling culture than we do,鈥� she said.听

Snyder and the students she鈥檚 living with do a lot together, including preparing their own meals. Snyder loves to bake bread. She says she appreciates being pushed beyond her comfort zone and learning to rely on God鈥檚 provision.听

Vienna, Austria: Hannah Dickson

Hannah Dickson is taking in the sights and atmosphere of this historic cradle of culture that brought the world Beethoven, Mozart and Strauss. The sophomore from Charleston, South Carolina, who is majoring in nursing, is living and studying in the center of Vienna. She鈥檚 living with students mainly from Oklahoma and Tennessee at Das Millicanhaus, an apartment building. Her classes also meet at Das Millicanhaus.

鈥淲e’re all living here together in different apartments and we take classes together,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am currently taking a Christianity and Culture class鈥攖his one is specifically studying spiritual disciplines. We went to a Catholic mass. We’re looking at different denominations and different ways they practice spiritual disciplines, like solitude and reverence and those types of things.鈥�

Dickson enjoys her experiences, which have included visiting the Sch枚nbrunn Palace and the Vienna Military History Museum and experiencing firsthand the splendor of the Johann Strauss Ball.听

Although Dickson had taken some German in high school, she鈥檚 taking two German classes this semester. She enjoys the many opportunities she has to sharpen her skills in German, Austria鈥檚 primary language.

鈥淚 live right next to a university and see a lot of university students,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like to go to cafes here and I’ll practice my German when ordering鈥� There is so much to see in the city and you can take the U-Bahn, which is like their metro system here, and that could take you anywhere in the city. It’s very clean, very well run.鈥�

Dickson has traveled to several other countries and feels those experiences help her perspective as an American.

鈥淚 realize that the Americans do it one way, and it’s great, and the Viennese or the Austrians do it a different way, and that’s still great, even though they’re different,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s been really interesting seeing the similarities between our two cultures and societies and the differences, because there’s both.鈥�

Seville, Spain: Carly Shoup

Carly Shoup (who is Hannah鈥檚 suite mate and good friend, by the way) is a sophomore from Columbia, South Carolina, majoring in Christian Studies and minoring in Spanish. She’s experiencing the rich history and culture of this large, historic city located in the southwestern portion of the Iberian Peninsula. While studying through Semester in Spain, she鈥檚 living with a host family where she can experience up-close how the Spanish do life.听

An adjustment Shoup admits to is the different daily patterns of life in Seville.

鈥淗ere the meals structure the day instead of the classes or our job structuring the day,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭ypically lunch is going to be 2 or 2:30 p.m鈥� then the rest is siesta until 5 p.m. Locally-owned stores are closed. They work until around 8 p.m., then you鈥檙e probably going to be eating at 8:30, maybe 9:30, and then you won鈥檛 really finish until 10 p.m.听

Shoup is taking a class devoted to volunteer opportunities. She recently volunteered at Impacto Solaria, an afterschool program for children, where she taught Bible stories. She鈥檚 also witnessing firsthand a small but vibrant evangelical population that exists in the traditionally Catholic nation and cultural crossroad.听听

鈥淚t truly is a picture of every tongue, nation and tribe. Whenever I go to church I鈥檓 like 鈥榯his is a picture of what we鈥檙e going to get to see in heaven one day,鈥� Shoup said. 鈥淚 feel the Lord is going to do something with that when I graduate, leading me to places and it opens up the door to who I can communicate the gospel with,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 no longer limited to just English-speaking people. It opens the door to so many Spanish-speaking people around the world.鈥澨�

AU Study Abroad

With one of the most expansive international programs in the Southeast, 91福利社 is dedicated to creating unique study abroad experiences that last a lifetime. Study Abroad is coordinated through the 91福利社 Center for Global Engagement. The center directs short-term programs, mission trips, faculty-led experiential learning programs and semester-long programs. For more information, contact the Center for Global Engagement at studyabroad@andersonuniversity.edu or 864-231-2141.

The post National Study Abroad Day: Three Students Share Their Experiences appeared first on 91福利社.

91福利社 students have been in the United Kingdom taking part in study abroad programs while gaining a global perspective with help from the 91福利社 Center for Global Engagement.听

Claire Christensen, a student in the 91福利社 College of Health Professions, has been learning about British healthcare while exploring the culture and history of England, Scotland and Wales. She also crossed the English Channel to tour Paris.

Christensen鈥檚 study abroad experience through , a study abroad program, is devoted to comparative healthcare systems and finding out more about Britain鈥檚 National Health Service (NHS).

鈥淚 just finished my internship and I’m at this charity organization that helps support the elderly,鈥� said Christensen, a rising junior from Hartsville, South Carolina, who is studying nursing.

鈥淗onestly, I thought this class was more on the health care level鈥攈ow they treat things, what type of methods they use, whereas class was more policy based鈥攍earning how world events and how the government does play a big role in it,鈥� Christensen said. 鈥淚t’s been really cool seeing the background of the healthcare system and the culture and what led up to it being where it is today.鈥�

Christensen has been sharing a flat with other students just minutes away from the Tower of London and the iconic Tower Bridge. From there it鈥檚 been easy to get around. There鈥檚 much to do within walking distance, and London鈥檚 subway system, known as 鈥渢he Tube,鈥� has been easy for her to figure out, though at times it could be crowded. When Christensen and some friends were going to a Harry Styles concert at Wembley Stadium, she said the Tube was packed.

鈥淲e’ve been able to explore London every day, basically after classes, after internships, and then on the weekend, we’ve been trying to do little short weekend trips,鈥� Christensen said. 鈥淲e’ve gone to Paris one weekend, we just went to Oxford for a day trip last Friday and then Saturday, Sunday we just did an overnight trip in Edinburgh.

Christensen has fallen in love with London and feels that learning about another country鈥檚 healthcare system has been beneficial.

鈥淚 want to go into medical missions and just delve into countries that don’t have good health care,鈥� Christensen said.

Further north, Chloe Wallace was studying and experiencing the history of Scotland. Wallace, a rising senior from Winter Park, Florida, majoring in Elementary Education, took a three-week course at historic University of St. Andrews.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to study abroad, and I wanted it to be somewhere in Europe, preferably the U.K., so I specifically chose Scotland. It鈥檚 super beautiful there,鈥� Wallace said. 鈥淚t was a great program, because it was short term, so I was able to be there for three weeks and did a lot, but not be on the whole semester, which is what I wanted, and it worked with my education schedule because I couldn’t be gone for a semester. It kind of checked all the boxes.鈥�

Wallace appreciated her program鈥檚 flexibility, attending class Monday through Friday, then having time to explore.

鈥淭hat was really nice,鈥� Wallace said, 鈥渂ecause I felt that given extra time, I was able to kind of explore the city more鈥� Class was about 10 people鈥攚e would have lunch together, and then we would have the afternoon to explore and go on trips. Fridays were always day trips, so instead of sitting in for two hours, we would go from about 10 to 3. We would go on different field trips around the area.鈥�

Wallace could see, feel and touch the history she was studying.

鈥淢y favorite field trip was to Dunnottar because it really encapsulated parts of the Scottish coastline and then with the medieval castle there. It was really beautiful to witness first hand. We got to walk around it and see how it was laid out. We also were studying castles, and so we got to witness why castles were built the way they were as fortresses, and then later, as luxury buildings,鈥� Wallace said. 鈥淥n other trips we went to the Blackwatch Museum. We went to Edinburgh, the capital, for a field trip and we went to Holyrood Palace, which is where the monarchs stay when they visit Scotland.鈥�

Wallace stayed in campus housing at St. Andrews along with classmates from across the U.S., as well as Canada and Singapore. Interacting with them as well as the local Scottish people, she felt she was able to gain a better understanding of people from different backgrounds.

This summer, 91福利社 students have pursued study abroad programs in Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (London and St. Andrews, Scotland).

The Center for Global Engagement directs short-term programs, mission trips, faculty-led experiential learning programs and semester-long programs. 91福利社 has cooperative agreements so students can take part in semester-long programs in such countries as: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the Netherlands and Uganda.

For more information, contact the Center for Global Engagement at studyabroad@andersonuniversity.edu or (864) 231-2141.

The post Study Abroad: United Kingdom appeared first on 91福利社.