The document is a newsletter from the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission that provides information on Fulbright programs and events. Some of the key information includes:
- Orientation was held for 2011-2012 U.S. Fulbright grantees in Romania.
- A Thanksgiving celebration was held bringing together over 100 Romanian alumni of U.S. exchange programs.
- Presentations were given on applying for Fulbright Senior Awards and seminars were held to help candidates prepare for interviews.
- U.S. Fulbright scholars gave lectures on their research at universities in Romania and participated in cultural events.
- Upcoming programs were announced including the Teacher Excellence and Achievement Program in January
1. Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission
Education in the
American Way
Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission
NEWSLETTER
Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Commission News
Graduate and Undergraduate
Table of Contents
► From Romanian Fulbrighters
Commission News
Testimonial from Diana Melian, Romanian TEA Grantee
in 2011
Orientation for 2011-2012 U.S. Grantees to Ro-
Romanian Fulbright Alumnus Virgil-Florin Duma at
mania
World Science Forum
Romanian Alumni Community Celebrating Romanian Event at Georgia Tech
Thanksgiving Fulbright Fellow to be Named the First KPMG Fellow in
Romania
Fulbright at the 12th National RATE Conference
(Timişoara 2011) - Oct. 28-30
Graduate and Undergraduate
Presentations on Fulbright Senior Award - Oct.
2011
Learn How to Ace Your Undergrad Application to U.S.
Seminars for Fulbright Senior Award Candidates Universities: Fresh Sessions in Jan.-Feb. 2012
– Oct. 27 and Nov. 29 Golden Rules for a Successful U.S. Graduate Admis-
sions: Training Program in Feb.-March
Teacher Excellence and Achievement Program—
FEAC, the Hub of International Education Week 2011
January 15, 2012
Events in Romania - Nov. 14-18
U.S. Graduate Study Prominent at the Bucharest
Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) and FEAC
► From U.S. Fulbrighters
American Corners and FEAC Spearhead U.S. Study
Promotion in Romania - Constanta, Nov. 9-11
U.S. Fulbright Scholar Yudit Kornberg Green-
EducationUSA Marathon in Western Romania in De-
berg Visits American Studies Programs in Iași
cember
and Constanța
U.S. Study Excitement Built around American Corner
U.S. Fulbright Grantee Laura Evers Involved in Bacau
Multicultural Event U.S. Study in the Spotlight at RIUF Bucharest and
Cluj-Napoca
An American Thanksgiving by U.S. Fulbrighter
Libraries’ Night Sparks Local Interest in U.S. Study
Katelyn Browher
Liberal Arts Education Makes New Friends in Bucharest
FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign Takes Off in Fall
2011
http://www.facebook.com/
Romanian.US.Fulbright.Commission
www.fulbright.ro
2. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Commission News
Orientation for 2011-2012 U.S. Grantees to Romania
On October 6-7, the Romanian - U.S. Fulbright Commission marked the beginning of yet another year
for American Juniors and Seniors in Romania. The event offered the participants the opportunity to meet
face to face. They were briefed on their new environment by high officials of the U.S. Embassy and met
members of the Romanian Fulbright Board of Directors, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, American and Roma-
nian Fulbright alumni, professors and researchers. The second day of the event included a trip to Sinaia
and Azuga, where the grantees had the opportunity to connect as a group in an informal environment.
More pictures here.
Romanian Alumni Community Celebrating Thanksgiving
On November 23, the Romanian Alumni Community met to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. The event
brought together over 100 Romanian alumni of U.S. Government-sponsored exchange programs to the
United States such as Fulbright, IVLP, Hubert H. Humphrey, Ron Brown, New Century Scholars, Benja-
min Franklin Summer Institute, Young Leaders Dialogue with America and Study of the U.S. Institutes,
but also U.S. Fulbright grantees and alumni who are currently in Romania.
The event started with welcome speeches from Dr. Remus Pricopie, President of the Romanian Fulbright
Board of Directors, Ms. Patricia Guy, Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy and Ms. Edwina
Sagitto, Cultural Officer at the U.S. Embassy. After welcoming the guests, U.S. Fulbright grantees Kate-
lyn Arlene Browher and Nicole Kay Wells introduced us to the Thanksgiving history, customs & tradi-
tions.
We are grateful to all the Romanian and U.S. alumni and grantees who have joined us for the event and
we take this opportunity to thank our guest speakers. More pictures are available here.
2 www.fulbright.ro
3. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Commission News
Fulbright at the 12th National RATE Conference (Timişoara 2011) - Oct. 28-30
“ELT – Skill, Art and Motivation”, the 12th National RATE (Romanian
Association of Teachers of English) Conference, took place in Timişoara on
October 28-30. For three full days, Romanian and foreign teachers,
mentors, textbook authors and editors shared their professional knowledge
and experience with their peers, in an impressive array of plenary lectures,
workshops, talks and group activities. Among the participants, two
Fulbright alumni took the opportunity to introduce the Fulbright program
and its indisputable benefits to all those interested. Robert Manning
(Quincy University, USA) and Cristina Chevereşan (University of Timişoara,
Romania) used their own examples to encourage future applications, emphasizing both the academic
and the personal gains of living, traveling, teaching and doing research in different, yet fascinating,
environments. In an interactive presentation entitled Transatlantic Exchanges: The Fulbright Experience
from Both Sides, the two speakers captured the essence of the Fulbright spirit, giving the audience
insight into a unique way of establishing lasting connections between people(s) and cultures.
Presentations on Fulbright Senior Award - Oct. 2011
The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission organized a series of presentations dedi-
cated to Romanian professors and researchers who intended to apply for a Fulbright
Senior (Postdoctoral) Award 2012-2013 at different universities in Romania:
Politehnica University of Bucharest, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti and Acad-
emy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. All presentations addressed several topics
such as: application steps, funding, fields of study, selection criteria and required
documentation etc. The participants had the opportunity to ask more details about
the Fulbright competition during the Q&A section which concluded the events.
Seminars for Fulbright Senior Award Candidates – Oct. 27 and Nov. 29
The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission organized two seminars for the
Fulbright Senior Award candidates: “How to make the application. Tips and
guidance” on October 27 and “Fulbright Senior Award Interview: Advice,
Suggestions and Techniques” on November 29. We take this opportunity to
thank the guest speakers of the events for their help in guiding the Roma-
nian applicants: Dr. Stephen J. Cutler, U.S. Fulbright Scholar and Visiting
Professor, Dr. Mohsen Razzaghi, U.S. Fulbright Scholar, professor and head
of Mathematics and Statistics Department, Mississippi State University and
Dr. Mihaela Albu, Romanian Fulbright Alumna and professor at Politehnica
University of Bucharest.
Teacher Excellence and Achievement Program – January 15, 2012
The Teacher Excellence and Achievement Program (TEA) will be announced
early January. TEA provides Romanian teachers with unique opportunities to
develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills and in-
crease their knowledge about the United States. TEA consists of a non-
degree, non-credit customized academic program, including coursework and
intensive training in teaching methodologies, lesson planning, and teaching
strategies for home classroom environments, as well as the use of computers
for Internet, word processing, and as teaching tools. All details about the pro-
gram and the online application will be available on the Fulbright website
starting with January 15, 2012. (www.fulbright.ro/news.html).
3 www.fulbright.ro
4. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Commission News
► FROM U.S. FULBRIGHTERS
U.S. Fulbright Scholar Yudit Kornberg Greenberg Visits American Studies Programs in Iași
and Constanța
“During my tenure as a Fulbright Scholar in American Studies
and Religious studies at the University of Bucharest this fall se-
mester, I not only savored the joy of teaching my second-year
M.A. students, but was also delighted to share my scholarship
on love and religion with students and colleagues in other uni-
versities in Romania. In November I was invited by Professor
Odette Blumenfeld to present a lecture for the American Studies
Program at the University in Iasi. I was pleased with the large
turnout of over 100 students who were attentive and engaged.
It was rewarding to receive thoughtful comments from students
during and after the lecture; a couple of undergraduate students
even continued our dialogue through email. Now-that's being
passionate about learning! In early December, I traveled to
Constanta where I was invited to lecture on Love in the Bible by
Professor Adina Ciugureanu at Ovidius University. I enjoyed my conversations with Adina, her col-
leagues and students, who incidentally were all women! As I reflect upon the rich and stimulating teach-
ing and lecturing experiences in Romania, I wish to thank especially Mr. Mihai Moroiu of the Fulbright
Commission as well as the faculty and students at the University of Bucharest who helped make my Ful-
bright experience in Romania a most gratifying and memorable one.” Yudit Kornberg Greenberg
U.S. Fulbright Grantee Laura Evers Involved in Multicultural Event
On December 4, U.S. Fulbright grantee Laura Evers was in-
volved in an event entitled Global Village. Organized by AIESEC
Suceava (http://aiesec-suceava.ro/), Global Village took place
at Iulius Mall from 1pm - 7pm and featured the food, music,
and dancing of ten different countries. Laura represented the
United States, and with three high school team members or-
ganized a presentation on American society, in addition to pre-
paring traditional American food. Laura Evers: Audience reac-
tions were extremely positive and everyone had an incredible
time participating in cross-cultural awareness! I met a lot of
incredible people and got to experience the fascinating cultures
of nine countries while sharing my own! You can read more
about the event here: http://www.monitorulsv.ro/Local/2011-
12-05/Tineri-din-12-tari-au-adus-un-pic-din-savoarea-si-
frumusetea-patriei-lor-la-Iulius-Mall-Suceava
An American Thanksgiving by U.S. Fulbrighter Katelyn Browher
On the 21st and on the 25th of November, 2011, U.S. Fulbright Grantee
Katelyn Browher organized an event at American Corner Constanta entitled
“An American Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Traditions of the United States”.
Katelyn discussed with the students the history of the holiday, as well as
some of the lesser-know traditions, such as the presidential turkey pardon,
the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Black Friday. The activity focused
on the history and modern traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday in the
United States. The event was advertised in the local media: Ziua de Con-
stanta on the 16th and 17th of November, Telegraf on the 17th of Novem-
ber, Cuget Liber on the 21st of November, and Ovidius University website
on the 17th of November, 2011.
4 www.fulbright.ro
5. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Commission News
► FROM ROMANIAN FULBRIGHTERS
Testimonial from Diana Melian, Romanian TEA Grantee in 2011
“Everybody wonders about the American dream. I had the chance to live
the dream, due to the Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program. In-
ternational teachers had the opportunity to develop their expertise, to
learn and teach. (….) Words are not enough to express my gratitude to the
Fulbright Commission, United States Department of State, IREX and Clare-
mont Graduate University for ones in a life time chance. The story will not
end here. This is only the turning point for my professional life.” Diana Io-
ana Melian-History teacher, Technical High School of Communication
“N.V.Karpen”, Bacau, Romania. To read the entire testimonial please click
here.
Romanian Fulbright Alumnus Virgil-Florin Duma at World Sci-
ence Forum
FAST (Fulbright Academy of Science and Technology) has formed a
group of over 30 Fulbright Alumni from around the world to participate
in a dedicated Fulbright Alumni delegation at the World Science Forum
(http://www.sciforum.hu/) that has been held on Nov. 17-19, 2011 in
Budapest. The Fulbright delegation has been invited by the Hungarian
Academy of Science which is fully supporting its participation to this
prestigious international event, focused on latest scientific develop-
ment, but also on policy issues in Research and Higher Education.
Global issues are addressed at the WSF by UNESCO, AAAS, Royal So-
ciety and other international organizations, while the Forum has benefited from the participation of sev-
eral Nobel laureates and prestigious academia. Dr. Virgil-Florin Duma, Fulbright Alumnus at The Insti-
tute of Optics of the University of Rochester, NY (2009-2010) has been selected by FAST to represent
Romania at the WSF as part of the Fulbright delegation.
Romanian Event at Georgia Tech
Ciprian Dumitrache, presently a Fulbright Student grantee in the field of
Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech University, has informed us on
his initiative dedicated to his friends and colleagues in the campus. On
October 6, he organized the event “Let’s Learn about Romania” - a spe-
cial opportunity for him to speak about our country and to promote its
culture, traditions and history. Last but not least: Adina, Ciprian’s wife,
cooked Romanian dishes for all the participants, a challenging approach
which, we are sure, provided the invitees with interesting notions about
Romania’s tastes, flavors and customs.
Fulbright Fellow to be Named the First KPMG Fellow in Romania
Dr. Catalin Albu, currently Associate Professor of Accounting at the Bucharest Acad-
emy of Economic Studies (ASE), Romania, has been named the first KPMG Fellow in
Romania. Catalin is Fulbright Senior Fellow 2011 at the University of Dayton, where
he taught and conducted research with American colleagues. The KPMG Foundation
has initiated professorships at the U.S. level since 1974 , to acknowledge the cen-
tral role faculty play in the academic process. Wanting to be the first to contribute
to the development of local faculty in our country, KPMG Romania has initiated
KPMG Professorships for deserving local academics within the cooperation agree-
ment with ASE. Considering his Fulbright experience, KPMG awarded Catalin the
first title of KPMG Fellow, wanting to encourage excellency in teaching and research by local faculty.
KPMG Romania and Catalin are committed to engage in a process of bringing ever closer the accounting
academic and business environments, in the mutual benefit, and especially, of ASE's students.
5 www.fulbright.ro
6. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Graduate and Undergraduate
Learn How to Ace Your Undergrad Application to U.S. Universities: Fresh Sessions in Jan.-Feb.
2012
A new Undergraduate Admissions Training program is set to start in January. The sessions scheduled
every Tuesday 3-5 pm will highlight U.S. application tips and strategies leading to success: admissions
and funding. Join us and learn how to select U.S. study programs and connect with American universi-
ties. How to master the art of negotiating strong recommendation letters. How to develop a competitive
edge. Details at http://bit.ly/feac_events.
Golden Rules for a Successful U.S. Graduate Admissions: Training Program in Feb.-March
Join us for a new Graduate Admissions Training program starting in February! The five weekly sessions
will present U.S. application strategies leading to admissions and financial aid, with or without excellent
grades. This free of charge program is open to everyone interested in pursuing a U.S. Master’s, PhD,
MBA or any other graduate negree. Join us to get theoretical insights into best admissions practices as
well as to engage in practical activities based on case studies inspired by the successful admissions ex-
periences of Romanians already studying at U.S. universities.
FEAC, the Hub of International Education Week 2011 Events in Romania - Nov. 14-18
To celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange during In-
ternational Education Week (IEW), a yearly joint initiative of the U.S. Depart-
ment of State and Department of Education, the Fulbright Educational Advis-
ing Center coordinated a series of one-time events together with the U.S. Em-
bassy and two U.S. universities – St. John’s and Bentley. The week-long
schedule included 13 events: 9 face-to-face sessions – “Undergraduate study
in the USA” for students at 5 Bucharest high schools and a digital video con-
ference with 3 American Corners hosted by the U.S. Embassy – and 4 online
events: 2 undergraduate and 2 graduate webinars. Thanks to the online sessions, this year’s IEW cele-
bration in Romania organized by FEAC was attended by prospective applicants around the country, not
just from Bucharest. More information on IEW in Romania, plus pictures: www.bit.ly/feac_events.
U.S. Graduate Study Prominent at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (ASE) and
FEAC
Over 100 students and faculty at ASE joined in IEW celebration by attending a 2-hour presentation on
the MBA programs in the U.S. and the comprehensive support available at FEAC. The session was of-
fered by the Advising Center and the representative of McCallum Graduate Business School, Bentley
University, MA. The graduate outreach program continued with a session for ASE professors on “MBA
Insights for Faculty” and meetings which gave the ASE faculty and our U.S. guest the chance to explore
the similarities and differences between American and Romanian business programs.
American Corners and FEAC Spearhead U.S. Study Promotion in
Romania - Constanta, Nov. 9-11
During Nov. 9-11, U.S. study opportunities were very prominent in Con-
stanta, thanks to the outreach program organized by the Fulbright Educa-
tional Advising Center and the local American Corner. The program enti-
tled “Fulbright and beyond” included as core activities presentations in 4
high schools and to university students totaling an impressive number of
participants. In addition, the 1-hour press conference hosted by the Corner involved a wide range of
representatives of national and local media, press, TV and radio. Discussions with the high school princi-
pals in view of innovative joint educational projects rounded off the outreach program.
EducationUSA Marathon in Western Romania in December
During Dec. 8-9, the Fulbright Educational Advising Center organized a presentation-packed outreach
program in Timișoara which included 7 presentations and a number of meetings conducted over a day
and a half. The visits to 4 top high schools occasioned presentations on undergraduate study
opportunities in the USA that were attended by a large number of students. Two graduate sessions were
offered at the universities in Timisoara (Universitatea de Vest and the Polytechnic). The presentation at
Universitatea de Vest was also joined by Jessica Miller, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant affiliated
there who shared her own undergraduate experience and educational insights.
6 www.fulbright.ro
7. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Graduate and Undergraduate
U.S. Study Excitement Built around American Corner Bacau
The comprehensive range of academic and scholarship opportunities available
for international students interested in U.S. study were shared with high
school and college students in Bacau and Onesti during a 2-day intense
schedule set up by the dynamic American Corner in Bacau in conjunction with
the Fulbright Educational Advising Center. The schedule included interactive
presentations at 3 high schools, a session for graduate students and profes-
sors at 2 universities, discussions for the promotion of the media channels
used by the advising center for disseminating information on U.S. study, pro-
ductive conversations with the American Corner staff and the host institution
for further joint activities, as well as an impactful press conference hosted by the Bacovia University.
U.S. Study in the Spotlight at RIUF Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. Upcoming in March 2012: Bu-
charest, Timisoara, and Iasi
The Fulbright - U.S. Embassy - EducationUSA synergy was at its best
during RIUF (Romanian International University Fair) on Oct. 22-23 in
Bucharest and Oct. 25 in Cluj-Napoca. RIUF is most well-attended edu-
cational event in Romania and Eastern Europe, according to the official
statistics. FEAC joined forces with the Public Diplomacy section of the
U.S. Embassy and the Fulbright Romanian program coordinator to or-
ganize multiple events including in-depth presentations on U.S. under-
graduate and graduate study, respectively, offered in both cities and an
always busy booth set up in Bucharest. The booth was manned by U.S.
volunteers from the U.S. Embassy and Romanian interns of the advis-
ing center. The next edition will be held in spring 2012 in Bucharest (March 17-18), Timisoara (March
20), and Iasi (March 22).
Libraries’ Night Sparks Local Interest in U.S. Study
On Oct. 1, over 250 high school and university students celebrated the
first Libraries’ Night at the new Embassy Library/the Information Re-
source Center (IRC). Visitors came from Bucharest and beyond and were
entertained by staff of the U.S. Embassy and the Fulbright Educational
Advising Center. The Public Diplomacy section and FEAC put together a
comprehensive joint program for the night - from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am -
which included multiple presentations and discussions on U.S. study &
culture, as well as IRC resources. The U.S. Ambassador and his wife attended the event and shared
their vision of the U.S. cultural and academic values. More pics at http://bit.ly/libnightpics.
Liberal Arts Education Makes New Friends in Bucharest
Ana Neferu, junior, alongside Catalina Cumpanasoiu and Alexandra Badiceanu,
freshmen, proudly represented University of Richmond during a 2-hour session
on Dec. 20 at the Advising Center. After enjoying the support of the Fulbright
Educational Advising Center during their applications to U.S. universities, the
thriving students returned to the Center to share their U.S. educational experi-
ences with local students. The stories shared by the students brought to life the
academic and extracurricular excitement of U.S. undergraduate study at a lib-
eral arts university. Learn about the University of Richmond and about Ana’s
application experience on the FEAC site at http://bit.ly/URprofile and http://bit.ly/ana_ur.
FEAC’s Online Outreach Campaign Takes Off in Fall 2011
In Fall 2010, EducationUSA was just rolling out its newest online service, EdUSA Connects webinars. A
year later, on top of promoting EdUSA’s webinars, the Advising Center is making extensive use of the
Connects platform to create its own online sessions targeted at Romanian applicants, teachers, and par-
ents. Every month this Fall, the Center offered multiple sessions on U.S. admissions, including dedicated
series on undergraduate and graduate applications presented by FEAC staff, as well as special sessions
featuring U.S. admissions experts from several U.S. universities and Romanian students currently en-
rolled on U.S. programs. Details on upcoming sessions at http://bit.ly/feac_events.
7 www.fulbright.ro
8. Bucharest, December 21, 2011
Volume IV, Issue 4
Partners
Need more info? Contact us!
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Tue: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
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Thu: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Phone: 021 230 7719; 021 231 5500
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