This summer, CU Boulder’s International English Center (IEC) will host its second cohort of international Fulbright grant recipients for a customized graduate school preparation program. Last year, the center welcomed 34 scholars from 26 different countries, and this year’s group is expected to be equally diverse and distinguished.
The Fulbright Pre-Academic Program is administered by the Institute of International Education and sponsored by theU.S.Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as part of its flagship.
From July 13 to Aug. 10, the Fulbrighters will be at CU Boulder refining their academic English language and research skills, learning about the U.S. higher education system, and engaging in cultural enrichment activities. After completing the Fulbright Pre-Academic Program, the scholars will depart to universities around the U.S. to begin master’s and doctoral programs.
In addition to language and academic skills courses, the program will feature workshops and presentations leveraging the expertise of CU Boulder faculty and staff from University Libraries;the Graduate School; the departments of Linguistics and Education;the Environmental Center;Student Legal Services;the Writing Center;the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement; and Health Promotion, among others.
Fulbrighters will engage with Boulder community partners on important issues on social and academic life to help them develop an understanding of U.S. values and practices, providing a framework to succeed in their future communities. They will also have a chance to network with current CU Boulder graduate students and other faculty in their fields of study, connect with locals through a host family dinner, participate in service-learning projects in the Boulder community, and visit Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as other local attractions.
IEC Director Ruth Moore is excited about the reach of this multi-year grant award: “We’re thrilled to welcome another cohort of Fulbright scholars. Last year, we had a lot of fun hosting the scholars and watching them develop high-level academic skills and cultural understanding in just a three-week period.”
She continued, “This year, we’ve expanded the program to four weeks, allowing more opportunities for members of the CU community to share their expertise with the scholars to help them understand U.S. graduate school expectations so they can transition successfully to their universities.”
The Fulbright Pre-Academic Program draws upon the IEC’s extensive experience working with graduate students and aligns closely with the center’s institutional mission of promoting service, collaboration, diversityand a global mindset. If you would like to explore how your unit might contribute to the initiative this summer or in the future, contact Program Manager Carolyn Allen atcarolyn.allen@colorado.edu.