Fulbright Scholars

Fulbright Scholars

Dr. Jay Carney

Samantha Senda-CookDr. Jay Carney
Fulbright Award Location: Uganda

Dr. Jay Carney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology at Creighton University. Dr. Carney has earned a 9-month, 2018-19 fellowship from the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program for a project entitled “For God and my Country: Catholic Leadership in Modern Uganda.” In this book project, Carney is delving into the lives and theological thought of seven Catholic leaders who have made a major impact on Ugandan public life since independence in 1962. He will then use these individual stories as lenses into the broader history of the Catholic Church’s public impact in modern Uganda. Based in Entebbe, Carney will conduct field research throughout the country, including oral interviews and archival work. As a Fulbright scholar, he will also teach courses at Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda’s preeminent Catholic university based in Nkosi. Carney looks forward to initiating a relationship with UMU that will bear fruit for Creighton students and faculty in the years to come. He is very grateful to the Fulbright Foundation for this opportunity, especially as a rare theologian in a world of social and natural scientists.

Clare Climer

Clare ClimerClare Climer
Fulbright Award Location: Ecuador

Claire is a research Program Planner here at Creighton University and participated in a yearlong Fulbright program in Loja, Ecuador. In Loja she spent her time creating lesson plans, grading, and teaching as a teaching assistance for four different instructors. She had always been passionate about language and culture, specifically Spanish literature. This program gave her the opportunity to travel, adapt to a new culture, and reestablish herself by going outside of her comfort zone. She found herself not limited to the classroom as she spent time teaching others both in the classroom and on the streets. She took on the challenge of radical change for her first experience outside of the United States and would advise anyone considering a Fulbright to “be in the moment.”

Stan Cox

Stan CoxStan Cox
Fulbright Award Location: Czech Republic

Professor Stan Cox is a visiting professor here at the Creighton University Law School and completed a Fulbright in Prague during the 2008 spring semester. While there he taught International Environmental Law and Introduction to American Law to full time students at the Charles University Faculty of Law. Professor Cox did a Fulbright because he has always been interested in different cultures and loves to travel. His favorite part about teaching abroad was that it allowed him to be immersed in a new culture and encouraged him to approach law in a different way. Working with Czech faculty and with Czech, Slovak, and other European students gave him a new appreciation for the different perspectives that come from growing up in different cultures and under different legal systems.

Beth Furlong

Beth FurlongBeth Furlong
Fulbright Award Location: Jordan and Hungary

Dr. Beth Furlong is an Associate Professor Emerita for the online graduate program in the Master of Science in Health Care Ethics here at Creighton University and has participated in two Fulbright programs. Her first Fulbright was a special month-long program in Jordan for scholars prepared in two or more disciplines and was designed to increase knowledge and awareness about the Islamic faith. Her second Fulbright was in Nyireghaza and Budapest, Hungary where she taught public health nursing. Part of the reason she decided to pursue Fulbright programs is that she evaluated it was an important experience for her to live cross-culturally in another country and to experience being a non-dominant individual of the majority culture, not know the language, etc. She valued the opportunity to learn about more cultural differences and to continue becoming a global citizen.

Martha Habash

Martha HabashMartha Habash
Fulbright Award Location: Jordan

Dr. Martha Habash is a Program Coordinator for Classical and Near Eastern Studies in Fine and Performing Arts. She has participated in two Fulbright programs in Jordan at Yarmouk University. While there she studied and taught Greek and Latin inscriptions, completed three publications, and expanded her network as part of her work in the Jesuit Worldwide Learning program. She loved teaching and learning about the different perspectives of others around the world which have since changed her way of thinking. The people she met there were very welcoming, friendly, and nonjudgmental which has led her to return to Jordan twice since completing her last Fulbright in 2011.

Raneta Mack

Raneta MackRaneta Mack
Fulbright Award Location: Lithuania

Dr. Raneta Mack is currently a professor with Creighton Law School and spent two weeks with a Fulbright program giving lectures on white collar crime in Lithuania in 2006. In addition to lecturing, Dr. Mack spent time learning about the different perspectives of Soviet thought with regards to law and independence. Her experience in Lithuania led her to write a book on comparative criminal procedure and gave her the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. She loved the two-week program because while she was unable to commit to a longer experience, she still got to participate in the Fulbright program. She recommends looking at all your options when thinking about applying for a Fulbright, particularly the Fulbright Specialist program.

Nicolae Roddy

Nicolae RoddyNicolae Roddy
Fulbright Award Location: Romania

Dr. Nicolae Roddy is a Theology professor here at Creighton University and completed a yearlong Fulbright program in Romania at the University of Bucharest. During his time in the Balkans, he researched the Testament of Abraham among other Cyrillic Romanian manuscripts. He has maintained his relationship with the university over the years and continues to lecture in compressed courses over Fall and Spring break. His research was groundbreaking in uncovering the history behind an 18th century text copied by monks who transformed the biblical Abraham into an 18th century Romanian nobleman. Nicolae chose Romania for a Fulbright due to his family roots in Transylvania. He advises anyone considering a Fulbright program to ‘Go for it!’ because of all of the wonderful surprises that come from the experience

Samantha Senda-Cook

Samantha Senda-CookSamantha Senda-Cook
Fulbright Award Location: Japan

Samantha Senda-Cook, PhD, assistant professor of communication studies was awarded a Fulbright fellowship, and will be at the Asia Rural Institute in the spring of 2019. Participants at the ARI learn farming techniques and how to be community advocates. Additionally, by teaching people to grow their own food locally, the ARI promotes peace by ensuring that everyone has enough food to eat, that resources are spent wisely, and that the community is engaged. Dr. Senda-Cook plans use her Fulbright fellowship to draw attention to these efforts, develop a deep understanding of how they work, and foster international connections around an issue that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has identified as crucial.

Stephen Sieberson

Stephen SiebersonStephen Sieberson
Fulbright Award Location: Slovakia

Dr. Stephen Sieberson is a law professor here at Creighton University and completed two separate Fulbright programs in Slovakia at Comenius University prior to entering his academic career here on campus. In 2004-2005 he was a Fulbright Scholar for an entire academic year, in which he taught comparative law and international business contracts to advanced law students from Slovakia and other countries. In 2006 he returned for a one-month visit to Comenius as a Fulbright Senior Specialist, and he taught a concentrated version of his earlier courses. His experience is different from most Fulbright Scholars, because his Fulbright year served as a transition between twenty-five years in international law practice and a new career as a law professor. During his time in Slovakia he carried out teaching, research, and work on his doctoral dissertation. The timing and content of his research on the structure of the European Union aligned with Slovakia’s recent entry into the EU. His recommendation to anyone considering a Fulbright is to “just do it.” While his Fulbright experience was not without challenges, it was worth every bit of effort that was required, and he is pleased to have had the opportunity to live and teach abroad.

Adam Sundberg

Adam SundbergAdam Sundberg
Fulbright Award Location: The Netherlands

Dr. Sundberg is a history professor here at Creighton University and completed a year long Fulbright program in Amsterdam. While there he researched early Dutch history, completed his dissertation, and became fluent in Dutch. He has returned every summer since completion of his program, and his experience as a scholar in Amsterdam is what brought him to Creighton to continue his career and continue his research. While he loved the café culture and ice-skating on the canals, he was most grateful to have the opportunity to act as a representative for the US and his university. His advice for anyone considering a Fulbright program is to be enthusiastic about engaging with the culture you are a part of and the people you work with.

Patrice Watson

Patrice WatsonPatrice Watson
Fulbright Award Location: Zimbabwe

Desiring a new cross-cultural experience and with her eyes set on a special project, Dr. Patrice Watson, professor in the department of medicine, completed a ten-month Fulbright program in Zimbabwe. During her time abroad Dr. Watson worked on curriculum development at the University of Zimbabwe which she says allowed her to better comprehend the area of biostatistics and complete projects in a different way than the traditional US cultural methods. She found herself working with groups where everyone worked together to see what the others could bring to complete the project and this collectivity expanded her perspective on research and partnership. Patrice advices people to not be afraid of the challenge the Fulbright offers. She was encouraged not to take her Fulbright because of safety concerns about Zimbabwe, but she moved forward with the opportunity and discovered a fascinating and completely un-terrifying culture.

Amy Wendling

Amy WendlingAmy Wendling
Fulbright Award Location: The Netherlands

Dr. Wendling is a professor and the chair of Creighton’s Philosophy department here at Creighton and took part in a Fulbright program in Amsterdam. While abroad she researched politics of the 19th and 20th century at the International Social History Houses which included reviewing manuscripts from the father of Communism, Karl Marx. Amy has a passion for language and improved her French, German, and Dutch skills during her research work decoding manuscripts. She loved going through the process of acclimating to a new environment with a new language and culture. After her Fulbright program she went on to lead the Fulbright program for students here at Creighton for six years. Amy still continues her work in decoding manuscripts in a variety of languages and has been able to travel back to Europe to continue her work.

John Wingender

John WingenderJohn Wingender
Fulbright Award Location: Hungary

Dr. John Wingender is a Finance professor and took part in a Fulbright in Budapest, Hungary at the International Management Center. While overseas he taught an MBA finance course as part of the first MBA program in Hungary, and completed research on the efficiency of the Budapest Stock Exchange. He was able to immerse himself in Hungarian life during his Fulbright program which offered in-country tours, language classes, and even covered some travel expenses. Dr. Wingender learned from the different perspectives of students from all around the world which led him toward a career move in international finance when he returned back to the United States.

Greg Zacharias

Greg ZachariasGreg Zacharias
Fulbright Award Location: Greece

English professor Dr. Zacharias has not only spent more than twenty-five years teaching literature, writing, and Honors courses, publishing books and articles, and directing the Center for Henry James Studies here on campus, but he also taught at the University of Athens as part of the Fulbright program. Dr. Zacharias said that teaching as a Fulbrighter was one of the most important parts of his professional life. Unlike in the United States, aspiring college students in Greece attend specific universities around the country based on the results of a placement test. Dr. Zacharias worked at what many consider to be the most prestigious university there, the University of Athens. Many students spent hours commuting to and from class and their families, like so many American families, sacrificed so they could attend. Dr. Zacharias noted, however, one important difference between American and Greek university cultures. Where American universities like Creighton seek to encourage faculty members who work closely with students to help them succeed, in Greece the students “carry the burden of learning” and it is common for the faculty and students not to have a mentoring relationship. He discovered that when that relationship is developed, however, Greek students, maybe more than their American counterparts, blossom. Dr. Zacharias offered one practical piece of advice for Fulbright applicants: contact your desired location and learn everything you can about the program before applying so that potential hosts can know you as an applicant and applicants can begin to know potential hosts. Overall, Dr. Zacharias was honored to represent the best the United States has to offer and immerse himself in the welcoming culture in Greece.