Contact: Aaron Hoskins
SDSU Marketing & Communications
Office (619) 594-1119, Mobile (619) 987-6356
ahoskins@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Wednesday, May 18, 2005 – San Diego State University announced today that four of its students – including two who are participating in graduation ceremonies this week – have been awarded Fulbright scholarships to study and teach abroad in 2005-06.

The students, who are respectively headed to Germany, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Mexico, are the first SDSU students ever to earn Fulbright grants.

“These are wonderful opportunities for students to understand another culture and build mutual understanding,” said Pat Huckle, women's studies professor and SDSU's Fulbright adviser. “The experience will change how they see the wider world, and the prestige of these grants will follow them in their future careers. They will feel the political and social winds, hear the music, and exchange popular culture and ideas, developing life-long friends in the process. And, they will return home with changed perspectives.”

Aaron Pratts, who is graduating Saturday with a double major in communication and international security and conflict resolution, will teach English in Malaysia through his Fulbright grant.

“I feel very lucky to have had the opportunities to study abroad and experience so many different cultures,” said Pratts, who previously studied in Sweden and Costa Rica through SDSU programs. “I look forward to developing new relationships in Malaysia that build on the connections I have already made in other parts of the world.”

Greg Sevik will teach English in Germany through his Fulbright grant. He will work in the German equivalent of a high school language class, lecturing in American and British culture and literature, and provide out-of-class tutoring and assistance to the students. Sevik will also conduct research on 20th century German literature with an emphasis on contemporary poetry.

“I have wanted to live in Germany for a long time, and I am very excited to perfect my German, experience living in a foreign country, and continue to learn French,” he said. “I will continue preparing myself for eventual work on a doctorate, probably in comparative literature.”

Dale Russell, a master’s candidate in political science, will study the production, consumption and cultural consequences of entertainment products – specifically, films – in the Netherlands. He will conduct research at the Amsterdam School of Communications Research, the largest European institute for the study of communication science and part of the University of Amsterdam.

“My research is motivated by concerns, especially in European countries, over the potential effects of foreign films on local values and behaviors,” Russell said. “There is a growing self-awareness by many local and regional political and cultural groups, which strive for recognition and resist the domination of local cultural values by outside influences. European producers are investing tremendous amounts of money to publicize and protect their local entertainment industry.”

Details of the fourth SDSU student’s award, which is for public health research in Oaxaca, Mexico, have not yet been released.

“These Fulbright awards are a testament to the students’ hard work and to SDSU’s to increased emphasis on international education,” said Alan Sweedler, SDSU physics professor and assistant vice president for International Programs. “Students need to be able to work internationally and in different cultures. This is what truly contributes to international security and cooperation.”

The number of SDSU students studying abroad has increased dramatically. About 1,200 students studied overseas during the 2004-05 academic year, up from 230 in 1999, a 500 percent increase in five years. SDSU ranks second in the nation among Doctoral/Research-Intensive universities for students studying abroad, according to the 2004 Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report.

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational exchange, was proposed to the U.S. Congress in 1945 by then freshman Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. In the aftermath of World War II, Senator Fulbright viewed the proposed program as a much-needed vehicle for promoting “mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries of the world.” His vision was approved by Congress and the program signed into law by President Truman in 1946.

Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Since the program’s inception, more than 250,000 participants – chosen for their leadership potential – have had the opportunity to observe each other’s political, economic and cultural institutions.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 72 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU’s nearly 33,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct faculty contact and an increasing international emphasis that prepares students for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

###