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Carp receives distinguished Fulbright award
August 09, 2007
Benson Family Chair and history professor E. Wayne Carp was recently awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer grant.
The distinguished lecturer grant is the highest honor offered by the Fulbright program. He will spend spring semester teaching two history courses at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea.
“I’m very honored,” he said. “I feel very privileged to receive one of these.”
Carp will teach at the university’s Underwood International College. It is a highly selective four-year college that aims to produce students who will excel within the international sector after graduation, according to the college’s Web site.
At the college, all courses are taught in English by Korean and foreign professors. Many of the Korean professors have earned degrees from top-notch American institutions, Carp said. He will be teaching a course on American business and economic history as well as one on American family and childhood history.
“The program wants to emulate the best colleges in the United States,” Carp said. The college’s mission mirrors PLU’s and encourages students to think critically and be active learners.
Carp and his wife, Paula Shields, have always been interested in Korean culture, but they’ve never visited the country. That fact worked to his advantage in the application process, as the Fulbright program seeks to broaden the horizons of grant recipients by exposing them to new cultures and experiences, he said.
Along with teaching at the college, Carp will have time to tour the country and expand his research, which focuses on the history of adoption in the United States and other English-speaking countries. He also has an interest in international adoption and plans to visit Korea’s adoption centers.
Carp said the 20-page Fulbright application was one of the most difficult fellowship applications he’s ever completed. In addition to describing his teaching philosophy and experiences with international cultures, he had to provide syllabi for the courses he intended to teach.
To strengthen his application, Carp consulted with graduates from Korean colleges and universities to gain insight into the country’s undergraduate population. He tailored his courses to address the cultural differences between America and Korea.
One of the biggest differences between the two cultures is that Koreans emphasize the group over the individual, he said. This could present a teaching challenge, as the Korean students may be less likely to express their opinion during class discussions.
Carp begins teaching courses at the college on March 2, but he and his wife will arrive in the country in mid-February to get acquainted with the city. He will be in Korea until June 10 and said he’s looking forward to the adventure.
“Living in a foreign country, every day will be a challenge, so that’s going to be quite exciting,” Carp said.
Carp is one of approximately 800 faculty and professionals from the United States who will travel abroad this academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program. Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program seeks to build mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries.
Recipients of the Fulbright Scholar award are selected based on their academic or professional achievement and because they have demonstrated extraordinary leadership potential in their fields. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.iie.org.
“I’m very honored,” he said. “I feel very privileged to receive one of these.”
Carp will teach at the university’s Underwood International College. It is a highly selective four-year college that aims to produce students who will excel within the international sector after graduation, according to the college’s Web site.
At the college, all courses are taught in English by Korean and foreign professors. Many of the Korean professors have earned degrees from top-notch American institutions, Carp said. He will be teaching a course on American business and economic history as well as one on American family and childhood history.
“The program wants to emulate the best colleges in the United States,” Carp said. The college’s mission mirrors PLU’s and encourages students to think critically and be active learners.
Carp and his wife, Paula Shields, have always been interested in Korean culture, but they’ve never visited the country. That fact worked to his advantage in the application process, as the Fulbright program seeks to broaden the horizons of grant recipients by exposing them to new cultures and experiences, he said.
Along with teaching at the college, Carp will have time to tour the country and expand his research, which focuses on the history of adoption in the United States and other English-speaking countries. He also has an interest in international adoption and plans to visit Korea’s adoption centers.
Carp said the 20-page Fulbright application was one of the most difficult fellowship applications he’s ever completed. In addition to describing his teaching philosophy and experiences with international cultures, he had to provide syllabi for the courses he intended to teach.
To strengthen his application, Carp consulted with graduates from Korean colleges and universities to gain insight into the country’s undergraduate population. He tailored his courses to address the cultural differences between America and Korea.
One of the biggest differences between the two cultures is that Koreans emphasize the group over the individual, he said. This could present a teaching challenge, as the Korean students may be less likely to express their opinion during class discussions.
Carp begins teaching courses at the college on March 2, but he and his wife will arrive in the country in mid-February to get acquainted with the city. He will be in Korea until June 10 and said he’s looking forward to the adventure.
“Living in a foreign country, every day will be a challenge, so that’s going to be quite exciting,” Carp said.
Carp is one of approximately 800 faculty and professionals from the United States who will travel abroad this academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program. Established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program seeks to build mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries.
Recipients of the Fulbright Scholar award are selected based on their academic or professional achievement and because they have demonstrated extraordinary leadership potential in their fields. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.iie.org.