Transformative Experience: Students Hike Spain’s Camino de Santiago

• July 10th, 2024
• in Education Abroad International Main

Exploring the sites and experiencing the culture of different countries is a must when studying abroad. A group of 10 UA students took it to a new level this summer.

The group hiked over 230 miles in 27 days from St. Jean Pied du Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, along the famous Camino de Santiago, a route traveled by pilgrims since the ninth century.

“As much prep as I did, nothing could have prepared me fully for what the experience would be,” said Nick Pate. “It was the hardest thing I had ever done while also being the most fun experience of my life.”

Guided by history professors Drs. Margaret Peacock and Juan Ponce Vazquez, the students were immersed in multiple cultures as they were challenged both intellectually and physically.

“I organized this trip after hiking a portion of the Camino de Santiago with my daughter in 2019. I have been a long-distance thru-hiker for decades and have seen how hiking can teach some of life’s most important lessons,” Peacock explained.

Those lessons translated well for the students on this excursion.

Immersive Education

Sophia Biernat believes the trip made for an entirely unique learning experience.

“As we traveled across Spain on foot, we became active participants in our environment. Hiking through multiple regions of Spain helped us understand the distinct cultures and climates that exist within the country,” she said.

Ponce Vazquez is a native of Spain who has completed the hike before. He said the physical strenuousness of the trip didn’t detract from the academics.

“Margaret and I gave mini, impromptu lectures on the road about Iberian medieval history, current Spanish culture, outdoor leadership, the meanings of pilgrimage and many other topics. But the most incredible thing was that students ended up teaching each other,” he said.

“They gave presentations along the way of different sites: fortresses, monasteries, cathedrals. Two-thirds into the trip they could talk in elaborate ways about Romanesque and Gothic art, and they naturally gravitated towards and wanted to visit every historical building we found along the road.”

The pilgrimage, which the students documented on Instagram, not only took them out of the classroom but their comfort zones as well.

“This trip was meant for me to go on,” said Nathaniel Sonmez. “For me, the hike was about testing myself and proving that I could make it through something like this.”

“I had not been very physically active since high school and doing this hike enabled me to push my limits. I’ve become much more confident in myself and made friendships that I believe will last a long time,” added Summer Pettis.

“I can tell people that I’ve hiked across a country — how many people can say that?”

A Walk to Remember

Peacock and Ponce Vazquez created an experience the group won’t soon forget.

“Unlike most study abroad programs, students had to physically work really hard every day and we were right there with them every step of the way. It allowed us to get to know each other in ways that would be unthinkable in any other ordinary academic setting,” explained Ponce Vazquez.

“We laughed together, sang together, thought together and suffered together when our feet hurt at the end of the day.”

Friendships weren’t formed just between students.

“We got to see so many things that normally wouldn’t be accessible on a normal study abroad trip, but this trip also allowed for us to build better connections with our professors since the group was so small and always together,” said Sonmez.

Study abroad opportunities can be life-changing for the teachers as well.

“Between us, we were able to create an exciting, challenging and safe experience for the students. It is hard to put into words how transformative this experience was,” said Peacock.

“When I feel anxious or stressed, I remember the quiet of the ninth-century churches that we visited in every village, the expanse of the land as it stretched out before us and the capacity that all of us have to face any challenge when we have our friends with us.”

Added Ponce Vazquez, “This was a transformative experience that will stay with students for the rest of their lives. It will certainly stay with me. I consider myself lucky for having been able to walk alongside my colleague and this incredible group of young men and women.”

Scenes from the Journey

Visit the Capstone International Center website to learn more about UA’s other study abroad opportunities.

2 UA Faculty Named Fulbright Scholars

• June 10th, 2024
• in International Main

Note: The story was updated June 11, 2024 to reflect the addition of Dr. Tori Jessen as a recipient of the Fulbright International Education Administrator Award.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Two University of Alabama faculty members have received Fulbright awards for educators to teach and research around the globe.

Dr. Anwarul Haque, associate professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics, and Dr. Jaye Johnson Thiel, associate professor of early childhood studies, are UA’s latest Fulbright Scholars. In February, UA was recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students for the seventh time in nine years as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA was one of 12 universities in the nation to receive both designations.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world. College and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields can join over 400,000 Fulbrighters who have come away with enhanced skills, new connections and greater mutual understanding.

Haque was invited to teach a graduate course in solid mechanics at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He will also take part in developing a joint research program as well as organizing research seminars and workshops in collaboration with university faculty members.

Haque’s field of expertise is solid mechanics, structures and composite materials. His research focuses computational and experimental stress analysis, impact/high strain rate loading, additive manufacturing and advanced composite materials. Haque’s research projects are sponsored by U.S. government agencies such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, Army and Navy, and private companies 3M and Boeing.

Thiel has been awarded the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Early Learning at the University of Calgary and Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Education at the University of Alberta. Her scholarship explores children and youth hobbies, art making and play to expand understandings of the constructions of childhood in the Southeastern U.S.

Through her Fulbright, Thiel will engage in a research project that focuses on the relationships between young people and their show animals at junior livestock showing events in rural Alberta, Canada. This project will contribute to a larger study, the Rural Southern Childhoods Project that was funded in part by the Creative Arts Research Initiative at UA.

In addition to UA faculty, Dr. Tori Jessen, assistant director of international partnerships and scholarships with the Capstone International Center, was selected for a Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to Germany. Jessen will spend two weeks in Germany, alongside other U.S. university administrators, completing an intensive and immersive study of German higher education. Not only will these two weeks include visits to German universities, but the award is also structured to introduce participants to Germany’s leading educational figures and relevant government officials.

Jessen works with UA faculty and staff to create meaningful international partnerships, as well as acting as an advisor for Fulbright student awards. The IEA Fulbright award will allow Jessen to create important German connections that in turn will sustain future UA and German collaboration.

The UA Capstone International Center offers guidance to students and faculty on a variety of prestigious international awards including Fulbright Awards. The Capstone International Center website provides information for faculty members to learn about Fulbright awards as well as students interested in Fulbright and other awards.

UA Students Receive U.S. Fulbright Program Awards for 2024-2025

• May 16th, 2024
• in International Main

Note: The story was updated May 23, 2024 to reflect the addition of Kyrsten Myrup as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipient.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Fulbright Program has selected 14 University of Alabama students for various awards for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Fulbright is the most prestigious United States international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research, and for English teaching assistantships overseas. The highly competitive program selects approximately 1,500 award recipients from more than 11,000 applicants annually.

“Each year, the talent, determination, and wide-ranging interests of our students continue to both amaze and delight me,” said Dr. Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and global outreach. “I know that all of our Fulbright winners will pursue their interests with a passion and purpose either ignited or nurtured during their time at UA.”

“I look forward to seeing them build on their UA experiences to advance the Fulbright mission of creating mutual understanding among all peoples of the world. Congratulations to all our winners and alternates.”

In February, UA was recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students for the seventh time in nine years as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA was one of 12 universities in the nation to receive both designations.

Fulbright Student Research Award recipients

Sean Coffman Atchison, a native of Chatom, is a May 2024 summa cum laude graduate in Latin American studies through UA’s New College. Sean received a Fulbright award to research “Future Power Makers: Perceptions of Democracy among Brazilian College Students and the Impacts of U.S. Foreign Policy” at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Post-Fulbright, he plans to attend Georgetown University to pursue a master’s degree in Latin American studies.

Lucy Besch, of St. Louis, graduated in May 2024 with a master’s degree in economics and bachelor’s degree in economics and international studies, with minors in Spanish and social innovation and leadership through the Dr. Robert E. Witt University Fellows Program.  She was selected to participate in the Binational Business Program, which consists of work at a Mexican company and international business classes at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in Mexico City.

Eden Blackwell, of Jackson, Mississippi, is a doctoral candidate in the department of anthropology, focusing on biocultural medical anthropology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Public Health from Tulane University. She will be conducting research on the holistic impacts of climate change on human wellbeing in agricultural communities in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.

Jonathan Clayton, of Hartsville, Indiana, will research arsenic’s correlation with pressure variations in water distribution systems in cooperation with Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. Graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from LeTourneau University and with a master’s degree in environmental engineering from UA, Jonathan is a third-year doctoral student focusing on water distribution system challenges. He also has a passion for teaching K-12 and university students about environmental engineering and water literacy.

Ania Gruchala, of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, received a Fulbright award to research “Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Floodplain-Peatland Ecosystems in Poland” at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Warsaw, Poland. She is a May 2024 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and minor in social innovation and leadership through the Dr. Robert E. Witt University Fellows Program.

Morgan Holder, of Scottsboro, received a Fulbright award to study at the University of Roehampton in London, United Kingdom, where she will earn a Master of Fine Arts in dance and embodied practice. She plans to study the intersection of dance and neurodiversity. Morgan is a May 2024 summa cum laude graduate with her bachelor’s degree in dance and English, with honors, and minor in the Blount Scholars Program.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards offer U.S. students the opportunity to serve in an English classroom overseas, assisting the teacher and exchanging culture with the people of the host country.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipients

Brady Allen, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, graduated magna cum laude, earning his bachelor’s degree in environmental science with honors. Brady was selected to teach English in Indonesia.

Lukas Baltzer, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, graduated magna cum laude from UA with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in fall 2023. Lukas is currently an MBA candidate through UA’s STEM Path to the MBA program. He will be serving as an English teaching assistant in Lithuania.

Berwyn “Sierra” Dugger, of Montgomery, is a psychology and German major. She is a member of Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society, St. Francis University Parish and Baby Steps at UA. Sierra plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology. She was selected to teach English in Germany.

Millie Dukes, of Millbrook, is a May 2024 summa cum laude Honors College graduate in economics with a minor in Spanish. She was a member of the Pre-Law Association and has been selected to teach English in South Korea.

Eric Fager, of Orange, Massachusetts, is a May 2024 summa cum laude Honors College graduate, and member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science, with a minor in the Blount Scholars Liberal Arts Program. He was selected to teach English in Taiwan.

Kyrsten Myrup, of Lexington, Kentucky, is a May 2024 summa cum laude Honors College graduate and member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. She earned dual degrees in French and environmental science, minoring in Russian and liberal arts through the Blount Scholars Program. Kyrsten was selected to teach English in Moldova.

Julian Wyatt, of Moundville, is a May 2023 graduate in international studies and German. Julian is a member of the Delta Phi Alpha Honor Society. He plans to pursue a career as a Naval officer. Julian was selected to teach English in Germany.

Additionally, three students were awarded alternate status in this year’s national competition and may have the opportunity to serve abroad if more funding becomes available or if a finalist is unable to participate. They are Joseph Arnold (United Kingdom), Jordan Bosarge (Greece) and Aaron Silvis (Czech Republic).

Students with an interest in applying for next year’s Fulbright program can learn more at international.ua.edu or email fulbright@ua.edu.

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu, 205-348-8325

ISSS Receives 2024 Sybil R. Todd Award for Excellence in Partnerships

• May 13th, 2024
• in Capstone International Services International Main

On May 9, 2024, International Student & Scholar Services was honored by the Division of Student Life with the Sybil R. Todd Award for Excellence in Partnerships.

The Todd Award is named for Dr. Sybil Todd, Vice President for Student Affairs from 1998 to 2003. This award is presented to individuals or organizations outside of the Division of Student Life who have demonstrated excellence in partnership and whose service to all our constituents is of an exceptional nature.

From Discouraged to Determined: Graduate Aims for the Stars

• May 1st, 2024
• in Capstone International Services International Main

From Discouraged to Determined: Graduate Aims for the Stars

April 29, 2024 Written by Grace Owens 

(Original article: https://news.ua.edu/2024/04/from-discouraged-to-determined-graduate-aims-for-the-stars/)

Growing up, Sindhu Belki was often discouraged from reaching for the stars.

Belki knew she wanted to pursue a career in aeronautics from a young age, but she realized she would have to leave her home country to achieve those dreams.

“I grew up in Qatar, and we don’t have a space industry. But ever since I was little, I always dreamed of being an astronaut,” she said.

Now, Belki is set to graduate this spring with her bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from The University of Alabama.

Although leaving her home country and her family seemed scary, Belki knew she had to in order to pursue her dreams. As soon as she stepped onto The University of Alabama’s campus, she knew this was the place where she was meant to be.

“Right from the beginning, it felt like everyone at The University of Alabama wanted to make a difference in my life and my career,” she said.

After she decided to commit to The Capstone due to the wealth of scholarships offered, she immediately felt at home and ready to pursue her passion.

It felt like everybody I talked to was heavily invested in my education and ensuring that I got to pursue my education. Throughout my time here, I have felt nothing but warmth and joy.

Sindhu Belki

Since arriving at The University of Alabama, Belki has garnered many accolades and scholarships. She received the Zed Factor Fellowship, which highlights underrepresented minorities in the aerospace industry, and the Brooke Owens Fellowship. She also served as the project manager of the Alabama Rocketry Association, UA’s student-run rocketry club. Under her guidance, the team placed 18th nationally. She also represented UA at the 74th International Aeronautical Congress, where she presented her first paper on small satellite launch services. At the conference, she was one of the youngest delegates ever, at just 21 years old.

During her time at UA, Belki was able to network with many people in the industry, making connections that helped her secure internships.

“A lot of [UA] alumni go on to work in big-name companies like NASA and SpaceX,” she said.

Belki hopes her accomplishments and actions will inspire young girls to pursue their passion.  This summer, she will be participating in a series of educational talks across Qatar in collaboration with universities and high schools across the country. While in Qatar, she hopes to highlight the space industry’s importance and continuous impact on the world and on our daily lives.

After graduation, Belki will begin a Master of Aerospace Engineering this fall at Georgia Tech — and credits The University of Alabama for helping her get there.

“Bama felt like the only place where I could be anything I wanted to be. I was able to define my identity here, and I will truly miss it,” Belki said.

3 UA Students Earn Boren Scholarships for Foreign Study

• April 24th, 2024
• in International Main

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Three University of Alabama students have received Boren Scholarships for the study of languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.

Aparna Bhooshanan, of Madison; Hari Gunda, of Montgomery; and Madeleine Luther, of Cincinnati will be part of a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal security arena.

Aparna Bhooshanan is a computer science major who will spend the next academic year studying Mandarin in Taipei, Taiwan. The Honors College student recently received a Critical Language Scholarship as well as the UA Outstanding Sophomore Award. She is president of UA’s chapter of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers.

Bhooshanan plans to pursue research in natural language processing, a field that unites linguistics with machine learning. She plans to use her knowledge of Mandarin to contribute to the machine translation field and develop methods to combat digital misinformation in different countries.

Hari Gunda is an Honors College student with a dual major in computer science and math and additional majors in foreign languages and literature with a concentration in German. Gunda will be part of the Boren Southeast Asian Flagship Initiative. He will participate in a domestic Indonesian program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this summer, and then continue his studies at the State University of Malang in Indonesia during the fall semester. Gunda recently received a Critical Language Scholarship and received the German 2^nd Year Excellence Award in 2023.

Gunda plans to pursue graduate study to research computational linguistics and multilingual natural language processing.

Madeleine Luther majors in international studies and French. Luther will be part of the Boren African Flagship Language Initiative. The Honors College student will participate in a domestic French and basic Wolof program at the University of Florida this summer, and then continue her studies at the West African Research Center in Dakar, Senegal during the fall semester. Luther is part of the Dr. Robert E. Witt University Fellows Program and member of The Elliott Society.

Luther plans to attend graduate school for a master’s degree in foreign service and hopes to work in the U.S. State Department as a foreign service officer.

Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in such regions as Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

The UA Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships assists students in the pursuit of national and international awards including the Mitchell, Hollings, Goldwater, Rhodes and Boren, among others. Students interested in applying for awards that require an institutional endorsement can learn more on the External Scholarships and Fellowships website.

International Students Association, 2024 Organization of The Year

• April 12th, 2024
• in Capstone International Services International Main

On, Tuesday, April 9, The International Students Association were awarded the prestigious, David L Phelps Organization of The Year Award for 2023-24.

The David L Phelps Organization of The Year Award is awarded to a student organization that best exemplifies excellence in student involvement at The University of Alabama.

This award recognizes the amazing efforts by the ISA and their Executive Board: Omid Reyhanigalangashi, Abiodun Wahab, Diweng Dafong, Kazi Hassan Shakib, Zumanah Kamal, Matilde Tricca, Rahul Mondal, and Sophia Xiong.

The Exemplo Capstone Awards is an annual recognition hosted by The Office of Student Involvement, University Programs (UP), Student Government, Student Center, and Center for Service and Leadership (CSL).

This collaborative event honors the contributions of individuals and campus organizations to service and leadership within and outside of the UA community.

These are the highest honors that can be bestowed upon student organizations and individuals in regard to campus leadership and service.

6 UA Students Earn Critical Language Scholarships

• April 2nd, 2024
• in International Main

Six University of Alabama students have received the Critical Language Scholarship to study overseas this summer.

The Critical Language Scholarship, or CLS program, is part of a U.S. State Department effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. CLS scholars gain critical language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.

Aparna Bhooshanan, a computer science major from Madison, will study Mandarin in Taiwan. Bhooshanan plans to pursue research in natural language processing, a field that unites linguistics with machine learning. Aparna hopes to use her knowledge of Mandarin to contribute to the machine translation field and develop methods to combat digital misinformation in different countries.

Hari Gunda, a computer science and mathematics, foreign languages, and literature major from Montgomery, received an award to study Indonesian in Malang, Indonesia. Gunda is part of UA’s International German Student Exchange Program. Hari will pursue graduate study to research computational linguistics and multilingual natural language processing.

Belle Hester, a creative media major from Pace, Florida, will study Japanese in Okayama, Japan. Hester is a member of the McCollough Program and Honors College. A Japanese tutor for students at UA, Belle is interested in becoming a Japanese-to-English translator or localizer in the entertainment industry.

Addison Miller, an international educational policy major through New College from Birmingham, will study Mandarin in Taiwan. Miller is a member of the Blount Scholars Program and Witt Fellows Program. Following graduation, Addison aims to pursue another longer study abroad in a Chinese speaking area before attaining a master’s degree in international educational policy with the goal of working in language policy advocacy.

William Muller, a history and political science major from Roswell, Georgia, will study Russian through the CLS Spark virtual program. Muller is part of the International Relations Club, Alabama International Justice Mission and Prelaw Student Association. William plans to pursue a career in international humanitarian rights law to advocate on behalf of those whose plight may go unnoticed and/or undefended.

Bennett Ogle, an economics and mathematics major from Farragut, Tennessee, will study Azerbaijani in Baku, Azerbaijan. Ogle’s achievements include being named a White House Historical Association Next-Gen Leader and receiving a Certification of Appreciation from Ambassador John Carwile of the U.S. Embassy in Latvia in 2022. Bennett hopes to be an economic officer within the foreign service specializing in areas with significant minority-majority interactions.

The CLS program provides scholarships to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to spend eight to 10 weeks overseas studying one of 13 critical languages, including Arabic, Azerbaijani, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Turkish or Urdu.

The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.

The UA Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships assists students in the pursuit of national and international awards including the Mitchell, Hollings, Goldwater, Rhodes and Boren, among others. Students interested in applying for awards that require an institutional endorsement can learn more on the External Scholarships and Fellowships website.

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu, 205-348-8325

Kobe Students Explore American Culture

• April 2nd, 2024
• in English Language Institute International Main

Kobe University Students from Japan visit UA to explore American Culture

UA students and local social workers, comedians, coffee shop baristas and employees of agencies were some of the people students from Kobe University in Japan interviewed during their stay at the English Language Institute, February 14 – March 25. As part of their short-term program, the students did research about the U.S. in an area of their interest.  To gather information, they got involved with the Tuscaloosa community by attending a comedy open mike night, volunteering at the West Alabama Food Bank and visiting Goodwill Industries and America’s Thrift Stores.

At the end of their stay, the group presented their findings on religion, poverty, humor, discrimination, coffee culture, the civil rights movement and fast fashion. The students agreed that their interaction with Americans was a meaningful part of the program. In addition to their research, they took classes in Pronunciation/Speaking, American Culture and Writing.

New Collaboration – Embedded Office

• March 8th, 2024
• in Education Abroad International Main

The Capstone International Center’s Education Abroad department is excited to announce a new partnership with WorldStrides Higher Education, the nation’s leading education travel provider. Starting summer 2024, UA will house a WorldStrides embedded office on campus (in B.B. Comer) to work alongside Education Abroad to provide high-quality study abroad experiences to our students.

WorldStrides (including its subsidiaries ISA, TEAN, and Custom Programs) have been affiliated study abroad providers to UA for over a decade, offering international education opportunities to hundreds of students. This embedded office is an innovative progression to an existing partnership that will further allow us to meet the growing demand for global programming.

• ISA, International Studies Abroad, offers programs in Africa, Europe, and Latin America
• TEAN, The Education Abroad Network, offers programs in Asia and the Pacific.
• Custom Programs partners with UA professors to create unique and customized international experiences that are fine-tuned to the learning outcomes and logistical needs of each program.

Aside from traditional study abroad programs, students can also participate in an internship, conduct research, engage in service-learning, or a combination of these opportunities depending on location.We will be hosting members from the WorldStrides Higher Education team on campus in the coming months. If you are interested in meeting them in person, please email studyabroad@ua.edu.

WorldStrides was chosen through a competitive bid process amongst a list of our affiliated providers and other U.S. study abroad providers. To see the full list of UA-affiliated program providers, please visit: https://international.ua.edu/educationabroad/explore/program-types/