July 17, 2008

2 Purdue students, 1 alumnus receive Fulbright scholarships

The Fulbright recipients include Shruthi Rajashekara of Carmel, Ind., Rebecca Conley of Beavercreek, Ohio, and Nathan Shippee of Frazee, Minn. Rajashekara earned a bachelor's degree in biology in May. Conley is a master's degree candidate in Spanish and Shippee is a doctoral candidate in sociology.

The student program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide. The U.S. Student Program currently awards approximately 1,500 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. It is open to recent college graduates, graduate students who have not yet earned doctoral degrees and young professionals or artists.

The two main types of Fulbright grants available within the student program are study/research awards and English teaching assistantships. Both options last for one academic year and are highly competitive, said Cristy Cornell, Purdue's national and international scholarship coordinator.

"In the most recent application cycle, more than 5,400 applications were submitted to the U.S. Student Fulbright Program," Cornell said. "To be competitive, it's important that applicants convey passion and enthusiasm for their proposed project and destination country. They also should demonstrate a desire to serve as a cultural ambassador for the United States."

Rajashekara will spend her time as a Fulbright scholar studying tuberculosis and HIV co-infection rates in residents of Zambia. She wants to study how variables, such as culture and gender, influence HIV/TB interventions.

Conley will teach English in Argentina while a Fulbright scholar. She said she wants to improve her proficiency in Spanish and learn more about the culture, community educational programs and the country's citizens.

While in the Ukraine, Shippee will focus on studying the nationalist militia that fought Nazi, Soviet and Polish forces in World War II. He said he plans to focus on how the militia has changed since then, which reflects an anti-Russian, pro-Western independence movement.

Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given approximately 286,500 people - including 108,160 Americans - the opportunity to observe each others' political, economic, educational and cultural institutions, to exchange ideas and to embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world's inhabitants.

Purdue students interested in participating in the U.S. Student Fulbright Program for the 2009-10 academic year should contact Cornell (765) 494-1727 or ccornell@purdue.edu. The deadline for applications on campus is 5 p.m. Sept. 2.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Cristy Cornell, (765) 494-1727, ccornell@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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