Commission News

Table of Contents Commission News

Now open: Fulbright Student Award 2013-2014

Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program Still Open

Orientation for U.S. Fulbright Grantees

Romanian Winner of the Fulbright-Schuman Grant

Presentations of the Fulbright Student Award in Romanian Universities

Romanian Fulbright Alumnus Cătălin Baba Appointed Minister of Education

Three Alumni Elected as Rectors of Romanian Universities

Academic Partnerships with Two More Romanian Universities

Seminar for the Fulbright Student Award – April 11, 2012

► From U.S. Fulbrighters New article by U.S. Fulbright Scholar Steve Cutler

U.S. Fulbrighter Kelli Wilbert Interviews Director of The Joseph Foundation in Iasi to Learn about Local NGO Scene

News from Dr. Mohsen Razzaghi, U.S. Fulbright Scholar

Research by Fulbright Alumnus Jonathan Stillo Published on IREX Website

Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission NEWSLETTER

Bucharest, March 31, 2012 Volume V, Issue 1

Education in the American Way

Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission

www.fulbright.ro

► From Romanian Fulbrighters

Dialogue on Religious Architecture in the USA

News from Ciprian Dumitrache - Georgia Institute of Technology

Super Tuesday Seen by Romanian Fulbright Grantee Bogdan Dospinescu

Articles by Romanian Fulbrighter Cristina Modreanu Graduate and Undergraduate A New Opportunity to Highlight U.S. Study: “School

the Other Way Round” Week, April 2-6 “International Study Day”: A New Outreach Con-

cept Launches April 4 Golden Rules for Successful Admissions to U.S. Mas-

ters and PhDs: Free Training Program in April-May Ace Your Undergrad Application to U.S. Universities:

Fresh Sessions in May-June Spring Visits to Cluj, Galati, Sibiu Add New Members

to the EducationUSA Family Promotion of the Fulbright Program with Peace

Corps Volunteers Creatively Celebrate U.S. Culture: Flag Day, June 14 U.S. Study in the Spotlight at RIUF Bucharest, Timi-

soara, and Iasi Students at Top High Schools in Bucharest Won

Over by the EducationUSA Approach Expanding FEAC Online Advising Resources: Check

Out the New FEAC eNewsletters From the Students to the Students: New Internships

at FEAC Multiplier Effect of Innovative FEAC Service: SAT

Training

Graduate and Undergraduate

http://www.facebook.com/Romanian.US.Fulbright.Commission

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Now open: Fulbright Student Award 2013-2014 The Fulbright Student Award, for the academic year 2013-2014, is still open for the Romanian graduates, MA and PhD students from both public and private universities. BA students are invited to apply as well, if they are in their final year of study. The Fulbright Student Award is a generous one-year program for masters’ study or research in the United States, in any field except clinical medicine. The Roma-nian applicants are invited to submit applications no later than May 14, 2012. Click here for details.

Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program is Still Open Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program is still open until April 15, 2012. The program provides international teachers with unique opportuni-ties to develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills and increase their knowledge about the United States. Details at http://www.fulbright.ro/news/428-teaching-excellence-and-achievement-program.html

Commission News

www.fulbright.ro

Romanian Winner of the Fulbright-Schuman Grant Adriana Bunea, one of the European candidates selected among the finalists of the Fulbright-Schuman Program, academic year 2012-13, is the first Romanian recipient of the Fulbright-Schuman grant. Our colleagues of the Fulbright Commission in Belgium and Luxembourg, who administer the competi-tion, informed us that “the pool of applicants was particularly strong this year and those who have been selected are truly outstanding. We had roughly 200 applications in the preliminary round and 55 in the final round, of which 13 were selected and 7 were listed as alternates”. Adriana is currently a PhD candidate in Political Sciences at Trinity College in Dublin with the research topic: “Explaining interest group influence in EU policymaking. A network approach”. She has a BA de-gree from the Department of Political Sciences, University of Bucharest. Congratulations, Adriana!

Orientation for U.S. Fulbright Grantees – March 8-9, 2012 The Orientation organized in honor of the new U.S. Fulbright Grantees to Romania took place on March 8 and 9, 2012. In the first day, Ful-brighters had the opportunity to meet high officials of the U.S. Em-bassy, Fulbright Board members, American and Romanian professors and specialists in the field of economics, politics, education and culture who introduced them to their new Romanian environment. The day concluded with a re-ception organized at the Com-

mission headquarters, an occasion for the new arrived grantees to meet more Romanian and U.S. alumni. On the second day of the event the group of American professors and students visited the Palace of Parliament, Cotroceni Palace and enjoyed a sym-phonic concert at the Romanian Athenaeum.

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Academic Partnerships with Two More Romanian Universities Two more partnership agreements have been recently signed by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commis-sion with the University of the West, Timisoara and the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. Mutual promotion of the institutional image, informing the local students and professors, through various means of communication, about the study and research opportunities offered by the Fulbright award programs and planning academic joint events such as conferences, symposiums, orientation seminars and summer schools - at national and international level - are the main points included in the recently signed agreements. Although collaboration initiatives have been constantly carried out between our Commission and the above mentioned universities, such agreements are a good proof of the long time cooperation with these prestigious academic centers in Romania.

Commission News

www.fulbright.ro

Presentations of the Fulbright Student Award in Romanian Universities On April 4, at 1 pm, the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission is or-ganizing a presentation on the Fulbright Student Award 2013-2014 at Politehnica University of Bucharest. The event will be held in the Senate room and the participants will have the opportunity to be fa-miliarized with the program and to participate in the Q&A section. On April 10, at 12 pm, another presentation of the Fulbright Student Award will be held at the University of Bucharest. For more details please follow the link: http://startub.unibuc.ro/2012/03/prezentarea-fulbright-student-award-2013-2014-la-universitatea-din-bucuresti/. Two more presentations on the outgoing competition were hosted by Academy of Economic Studies and by the Centre for International Cooperation, Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj on March 12 and March 22. Also, on March 17, the Fulbright awards were highlighted at the Romanian International University Fair.

Three Alumni Elected as Rectors of Romanian Universities In March, two Romanian Fulbrighters and one News Century Scholar alumnus became the rectors of dif-ferent Romanian universities: Fulbright alumnus Mircea Dumitru is the new Rector at the University of Bucharest, Remus Pricopie, New Century Scholar alumnus and chair of the Romanian Fulbright Board of Directors, is the elected Rector at National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucha-rest and Fulbright alumnus Ioan Aurel Pop is the new Rector at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj Napoca.

Romanian Fulbright Alumnus Cătălin Baba Appointed Minister of Education Cătălin Baba was a Fulbright Scholar in 2007-2008 at University of Dela-ware, in the field of Public Policy. Recently he was appointed as the Min-ister of Education, Research, Youth and Sport. Mr. Baba also served as a Head of Prime Minister Chancellery, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education and Dean at the Faculty of Political, Administrative and. Com-munication Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca.

Seminar for the Fulbright Student Award – April 11, 2012 The seminar for the Romanian applicants for the Fulbright Junior Award Preparing the Fulbright Applica-tion. Guidance and Recommendations for Writing Successful Essays will be held on April 11, 2012, from 4.00 to 5.00 p.m. The seminar will provide tips and advice for the preparation of the application file and will recommend useful strategies on how to plan and structure the essays which stand at the core of the application. The seminar will benefit from the presence of Fulbright scholars who will share their experi-ence and knowledge with the Romanian participants.

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New article by U.S. Fulbright Scholar Steve Cutler Steve Cutler published an article entitled “Long-term Implications for Widowhood of Romania’s Decree No. 770” in the Social Work Review, a journal edited by the Sociol-ogy and Social Work Faculty - University of Bucharest, Romania. To read the entire article, please click here.

► FROM U.S. FULBRIGHTERS

Commission News

www.fulbright.ro

U.S. Fulbrighter Kelli Wilbert Interviews Director of The Joseph Foundation in Iasi to Learn about Local NGO Scene “Before I arrived to Iasi I knew I wanted to volunteer at an NGO and learn more about the role of charitable organiza-tions and civil society in Romania. I currently volunteer at The Joseph Foundation (Fundatia Iosif) which helps disad-vantaged children in deprived neighborhoods in Iasi, and aims to prevent school abandonment while providing an af-ter-school program, enriching cultural activities, and a sum-mer camp for the children. The Foundation was founded in 1993 shortly after the 1989 Revolution in hopes to provide assistance for many of Iasi’s abandoned youth. I sat down with The Foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Sebastian Ghica, to learn more about the non-profit sector in Iasi and in Romanian society, in comparison to the US.” - Kelli Wilbert, U.S. Fulbright grantee at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi. The interview is available here.

News from Dr. Mohsen Razzaghi, U.S. Fulbright Scholar Dr. Mohsen Razzaghi, the Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Mis-sissippi State University, who is currently a Fulbright scholar at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest was invited by school inspector Elena Motas Project manager and professor Tudor Stanciu, a member of the project team to attend a workshop in Gura Humorului, in the Suceava County, March 23-25, 2012. Gura Humorului is about 160 Km from Iasi and is located in the province of Moldavia in the northeastern part of Romania. This work-shop concerned the project entitled “The continuous training for Mathematics teachers in the knowledge society.” Read more here.

Research by Fulbright Alumnus Jonathan Stillo Published on IREX Website Since he first came to Romania in 2001, U.S. Fulbright alumnus and medical an-thropologist Jonathan Stillo constantly returned to continue his research on TB and to raise awareness through conferences, media interviews and various presenta-tions. His research examines the relationship between socio-economic conditions and TB in Romania. He focus on the most difficult to cure cases, people who have serious problems such as homelessness, severe poverty, mental illness, alcoholism or a lack of spousal or family support. A brief part of his work was published on IREX website and is available online at: http://www.irex.org/resource/all-my-problems-started-TB-ethnographic-analysis-treatment-failure-romania-research-brief#.TzrqdijQEEw.facebook

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Dialogue on Religious Architecture in the USA Dr. Augustin Ioan, Romanian Fulbright Professor, currently involved in a research pro-gram in Religious Architecture at the University of Cincinnati, has lectured on “Retrofuturism: Sacred Spaces Today” on Monday, March 12. The event was hosted by the College of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado, Denver. On the fol-lowing day, Dr. Ioan met and discussed with the PhD students of the same department. Dr. Ioan visited the University of Colorado, Denver at the invitation of Dr. Taisto H. Mäkelä, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Architecture. We are looking forward to learning more about Dr. Ioan’s activities in the U.S.

► FROM ROMANIAN FULBRIGHTERS

News from Ciprian Dumitrache - Georgia Institute of Technology Ciprian Dumitrache, Fulbright master’s student in Aeronautical Engi-neering at Georgia Tech has sent us news about his recent activities. Two weeks ago he participated in the Fulbright Enrichment Seminar in Chicago, where he had the opportunity to meet and interact with Ful-brighters from 80 countries. Ciprian was very impressed with this seminar, a great occasion to build friendships as well, and told us that never had he met such a cultural diversity.

At Georgia Tech, his host university, Ciprian and Adina, his wife, took part in voluntary activities dedicated to people with disabilities. Ciprian added that the event " The Amazing Race: Shine the Spotlight on disability aware-ness" is well known in his academic center and carefully organized. The ac-tivities included in the agenda, sports - such as basketball in wheelchairs and goalball combined with debates addressing ways of improving available resources for people with disabilities in the campus.

Commission News

www.fulbright.ro

Super Tuesday Seen by Romanian Fulbright Grantee Bogdan Dospinescu Bogdan Dospinescu, Fulbright researcher in the field of Political Communication at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey wrote an analysis on Super Tuesday for the Romanian newspaper Evenimentul Zilei. Two articles appeared in the online version of the newspaper: http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/exclusiv-analiza-super-tuesday-goliat-vsdavid-romney-isi-confirma-statutul-de-favorit-970247.html and http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/profesorul-richard-lau-sunt-sigur-ca-obama-se-roaga-ca-santorum-sa-castige-970326.html

Articles by Romanian Fulbrighter Cristina Modreanu Cristina Modreanu is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at New York University, Performance Studies Department. Since she started her Fulbright grant in USA, she published a series of articles about American theatre in Art Act Magazine. The articles are available online by following the link: http://www.artactmagazine.ro/corespondenta-din-ny.html. She also published some articles on social-political aspects in Dilema Veche. Please find them below:

http://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/dileme-line/articol/festivalul-democra-iei-occupy-wall-street http://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/tema-saptaminii/articol/nu-vrem-sa-ocupat-doar-wall-street-vrem-sa-ocupam-i-sa-eliberam-min http://dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/tema-saptaminii/articol/cum-am-ajuns-totii-subiecti-financiari

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A New Opportunity to Highlight U.S. Study: “School the Other Way Round” Week, April 2-6 During April 2-6, the Advising Center will make the most of the “School the Other Way Round” week in-cluded in the high school curriculum starting this year. In this timeframe, regular classes are suspended, allowing students and teachers to engage in a multitude of extracurricular activities. Apart from the in-novative International Study Day on April 4, on Apr 2 and 6, FEAC will host students from high schools “Lovinescu” and “Cuza”, respectively, alongside their teachers. We will offer dedicated presentations that will match the students’ specific interests regarding U.S. admissions. The events will include appli-cation strategies and TOEFL insights for “Lovinescu” students and admissions essay and recommenda-tion letters case studies for our guests from “Cuza”.

“International Study Day”: A New Outreach Concept Launches April 4 The Fulbright Educational Advising Center together with Campus France, DAAD, and British Council have partnered up to set up joint outreach programs meant to introduce students to the benefits and opportunities of the educational systems in the USA, France, and Germany, and to help them make the most of study-ing abroad. The pilot program will be launched on April 4 at “Lazar” National College in Bucharest and will start traveling to underserved academic communities in the country at the end of April. Details at http://bit.ly/feac_events.

Golden Rules for Successful Admissions to U.S. Masters and PhDs: Free Training Program in April-May Join us for a new Graduate Admissions Training program starting April 3! The five weekly sessions, Tuesdays 5-7 pm, will present U.S. application strategies leading to admissions and funding. This train-ing program is open to everyone interested in pursuing a U.S. Master’s, PhD, MBA, or any other gradu-ate degree. Full info at http://bit.ly/feac_events.

Graduate and Undergraduate

www.fulbright.ro

Ace Your Undergrad Application to U.S. Universities: Fresh Sessions in May-June A new Undergraduate Admissions Training program is set to start in May. The sessions scheduled every Tuesday 3-5 pm will highlight U.S. application tips and strategies leading to success: admissions with funding. Join us and learn how to select U.S. study programs and connect with American universities. How to negotiate strong recommendation letters. Details at http://bit.ly/feac_events.

Spring Visits to Cluj, Galati, Sibiu Add New Members to the EducationUSA Family In late March-April, FEAC will continue traveling across Romania to share U.S. admissions and financial aid insights and tips with dynamic prospective applicants. The interactive presentations and training pro-grams hosted by the American Corner in Cluj on March 28-29 will be followed up by International Study Day in Galati on April 26 and presentations in Sibiu on May 11-12.

► Upcoming Events

Promotion of the Fulbright Program with Peace Corps Volunteers As a result of its steady cooperation with Peace Corps Romania, FEAC was invited to participate in the Career Options seminar organized on April 26 in Cluj for Peace Corps Volunteers finishing their program in Romania. The training will include a panel discussion highlighting the options available to PC volun-teers upon their return to the USA, as well as a career options fair that will allow for in-depth conversa-tion. Alongside the FEAC rep, the panelists will include former PCVs who will offer advice in their current capacities as members of the Foreign Service, Peace Corps, and the PC Return program. The FEAC rep will emphasize the graduate school options and the Fulbright Student program, with the support of the U.S. Fulbright grantee in Timisoara.

Creatively Celebrate U.S. Culture: Flag Day, June 14 Every June, the American Embassy’s Public Diplomacy section brings together over 300 students from 5 Bucharest high schools, who celebrate Flag Day through various lively, innovative projects developed on the 50 states in the USA (plus Washington D.C.). To honor a cherished tradition, the Fulbright Educational Advis-ing Center will be there with a booth and students admitted to universities in the USA. Come meet us! You’ll learn more about the U.S. undergraduate education and discover how you can successfully apply to U.S. colleges and universities. Get more info on Flag Day and check out colorful pics at http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.

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U.S. Study in the Spotlight at RIUF Bucharest, Timisoara, and Iasi In March, U.S. study and EducationUSA admissions support services were prominent at the Spring edition of the Romanian International University Fair (RIUF), the foremost educational fair in south-east Europe. The fair was organized in Bucharest on March 17-18 and in Timisoara and Iasi on March 20 and 22, respectively. Fulbright Educational Advising Center staff and in-terns discussed U.S. study opportunities with visitors who stopped by our always busy booths, open throughout the fair in all three cities. Peace Corps and U.S. Embassy reps, together with U.S. Fulbright program reps, were also available at the booths and inspired applicants with vibrant stories from their own successful U.S. study experiences. Participants also learned about the exciting academic and financial aid opportunities available to Romanian students interested in continuing their studies in the USA during the interactive presentations we offered to undergraduate and graduate applicants. At the booths and during the presentations offered during the fair, FEAC reached over 1,500 visitors in Bucha-rest, around 700 in Timisoara and over 750 in Iasi – a total of around 3,000 prospective applicants, teachers, and parents. More pictures on our Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/FEACPics.

From the Students to the Students: New Internships at FEAC Four undergraduate internships took off at the end of January, followed by six graduate ones in March. Our undergrad interns come from high schools “Cosbuc”, “Caragiale”, and “Central School” in Bucharest, and the graduate ones from the American Studies depart-ment at the University of Bucharest. They bring to the Center a variety of skills and a common passion for U.S. study. Our interns are involved in an exciting range of varied research projects on U.S. universities, in EducationUSA promotional activities including school visits and participating in educational fairs such as RIUF, educational video editing and production, and more.

Expanding FEAC Online Advising Resources: Check Out the New FEAC eNewsletters Starting February, FEAC launched two new eNewsletters featuring comprehensive information on online seminars and training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate applicants to U.S. universities. The new resources can be accessed in the Services section on the FEAC site at http://bit.ly/FEAC_Services. Every month, the eNewsletters highlight upcoming FEAC and EducationUSA webinars, digital video con-ferences, virtual fairs, as well as other online resources and events inspired or offered by EducationUSA to promote U.S. study.

Students at Top High Schools in Bucharest Won Over by the Edu-cationUSA Approach In February, FEAC visited three high schools in Bucharest – “Lazar”, “IL Caragiale” and “Central School”. On two visits we were accompanied by a U.S. university rep. In addition, on behalf of EducationUSA we offered an interactive presentation on U.S. study at the World Education Fair held at the Hilton Hotel on Feb 12. The sessions reached over 300 students and teachers. The participants were thrilled to learn about a range of appeal-ing features of U.S. campuses: liberal arts education, the personalized curriculum, hands-on learning, the comprehensive support system, as

well as the significant financial aid available for international students. Inspiring Romanian success sto-ries together with information on the free online and face-to-face admissions support services provided by our EducationUSA Advising Center wrapped up the events.

Graduate and Undergraduate

www.fulbright.ro

Multiplier Effect of Innovative FEAC Service: SAT Training In order to support a Romanian scholarship to Babson College, MA, FEAC developed a full-day SAT training program for the five short-listed candi-dates competing for a full-ride undergraduate scholarship offered by a Ro-manian foundation. The innovative training identified the students’ specific SAT problem areas and highlighted best practices and personalized strate-gies for each of the three sections of the test. An in-depth essay writing

workshop and an insightful discussion with a FEAC friend, now a freshman at Trinity College, CT, and owner of an impressive 2250 cumulative score in the SAT, rounded off the program.

► Past Events

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Bucharest, March 31, 2012 Volume V, Issue 1

Public hours Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission: Tue: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Wed: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Thu: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Phone: 021 230 7719; 021 231 5500 Public Hours Fulbright Educational Advising Center: Tue: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Wed: 1:00 am - 5:00 pm Thu: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Phone: 021 231 9015

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