Assumption Professors Named Fulbright Specialists

Two Assumption professors have been named Fulbright Specialists by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning. According to the ECA, Specialists are competitively selected to join the roster based on their knowledge, skill sets, and ability to make a significant contribution to overseas projects.

Eric Drouart, professor of practice in management, and Samantha Goldman, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education, were among the latest scholars to earn the prestigious designation. 

The Fulbright Specialist program was established by the ECA in 2001. According to Fulbright, highly qualified U.S. academics and professionals are accepted as Specialists for three years, during which they are eligible to be placed on short-term assignments with a host institution abroad “to share their knowledge, hone their skills, and gain international experience.” Those who are approved to be Fulbright Specialists are eligible for “projects designed by foreign host institutions from over 150 countries.” 

“I [have had] the opportunity to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, and Manila, Philippines, to help the Assumptionists institutions located there with their strategic plans,” said Prof. Drouart. “I am interested in doing similar projects and sharing my dual cultural and language experience in both France and the U.S., as well as my dual corporate and educational experience in business.” 

Prof. Drouart applied to be a Fulbright Specialist at the encouragement of Assumption English Professor Prof. James Lang, Ph.D., who was awarded a Fulbright grant in 2016 to create STEM teaching resources for college faculty in South America. Prof. Drouart has applied for a project with the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism, which involves conducting research and developing a communication strategy to attract more American tourists to Tunisia. 

Prof. Goldman, who also learned about the Fulbright Specialist program through Prof. Lang, said her interest in potential Fulbright projects are related to areas in special education, autism spectrum disorders, applied behavior analysis, intellectual disabilities, and teacher preparation. “I plan to work with a colleague to determine if her host institution in Taiwan would be interested in designing a collaborative project,” said Prof. Goldman. “However the process proceeds, I am excited to continue exploring all of my options through the program and look forward to strengthening existing partnerships and developing new international colleagues as a Fulbright Specialist.” 

Prof. Drouart will remain on the Fulbright Specialist roster until June 2021 while Prof. Goldman is eligible until October 2021.