After a lengthy application, Rich Raymond, English department head at Mississippi State University, was granted his second Fulbright Scholarship to go to the University of Pristina in Kosovo for six months. Kelly Marsh, MSU associate professor, will act as the English department head while Raymond is in Kosovo.
Raymond said he is excited to be visiting Kosovo and to be a part of the Fulbright Scholarship a second time. He also looks forward to the new things he will learn from the people.
“I will get as much from my students as I have to share with them,” Raymond said, “It is an exchange of knowledge.”
In 2003, Raymond spent six months in Albania working with 28 sophomore college students. His experience led to a book called “Teaching American Literature at an East-European University: Explicating the Rhetoric of Liberty.” Albania is located in Europe, right below Yugoslavia and is Europe’s poorest country. Albania has high unemployment due to lack of jobs.
Raymond said he taught the students American literature and research strategies. The classes were both writing-based courses. During the courses, he asked the students to keep a response journal on their thoughts of the topics covered in class. He said this was a new experience for them because the students had never kept a journal for school before.
The education system in Albania was lecture and test based. Since the students were not accustomed to the interactive learning styles Raymond introduced them to, they were excited when assigned a research paper. Established in 1946, the Fulbright Scholar Program is the most prestigious scholarship awarded by the United States government. The program was designed to send U.S. academics and professionals overseas and bring scholars and professionals from abroad to the U.S. It received its name from Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, who proposed the idea.
To be considered for the Fulbright Scholarship, Raymond had to first fill out an application and other paper work. In addition, an applicant must write a five-page project statement describing what he or she plans to accomplish and send in a resume as well as three recommendations. All required paperwork is sent off for consideration and the waiting process begins. Stephen Cottrell, assistant director of the International Institute and Fulbright representative at MSU, said the process could take months before a response is given.
“It is one of those things that you forget about after a while,” Cottrell said. “Then one day it shows up surprisingly in the mail.”
Raymond said he believes the Fulbright Program is a noble project that can be beneficial to the U.S. and help accomplish a more peaceful world.
“I will be staying there for six months, eating their food, drinking their drinks and sharing stories,” Raymond said. “You get a clearer understanding of how others live while making very dear friends that last a lifetime.”
