UM graduates study in six countries with prestigious Fulbright Scholarships

by Carmen George | February 5, 2010 | Montana Kaimin

In Egypt, University of Montana graduate Ian Bassingthwaighte is writing stories about topics ranging from the struggles of Iraqi refugees to renting cats in Cairo.

“I like to think of it as funny but resonant,” said Bassingthwaighte about the short stories he’s working on in Egypt. “You read it laughing, but at the end you sort of feel sad. Not that it’s over, but that the people here are genuinely struggling just to live.”

The 23-year-old English graduate has been in Egypt since September with a Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious awards sponsoring international exchange. Bassingthwaighte, along with five other UM students, received Fulbright scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year, making it one of the most successful years on record for the awards at UM.

While Fulbright pays for almost all of Bassingthwaighte’s expenses until he leaves Egypt in June, he knows that most of the people he lives among now don’t have it as easy.

“Their economy is wrecked, the politics are alienating them from both the Arab nations and the African ones, and their social structure and cultural history is falling prey to rapid industrialization,” he said.

Even so, Bassingthwaighte decided to go to Egypt because he believes the “best fiction brews from conflict.”

Aaron Shulman, another UM Fulbright award recipient, was also granted a scholarship, though for creative writing. Shulman, who graduated with a master’s degree in the discipline from UM last May, is currently in Guatemala working on a novel and a few journalism pieces about violence against women in the region.

“(My girlfriend) is the volunteer coordinator at a battered women’s shelter and the work she does always inspires me,” Shulman said. “I think we’re both trying to transmit our morals through our work, just in different ways.”

Other UM students with Fulbright scholarships this year include Sean Gibbons, focusing on energy in Sweden; Joshua Birchall, focusing on linguistics in Brazil; Micheal Kautz, teaching English as a foreign language in Turkey; and Ann Piersall, focusing on geography in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Clint Walker, UM Fulbright Program adviser, said this year was a “banner year” for Fulbright at UM. The university had as many Fulbright scholars this year as bigger universities like Penn State, Rice and Vanderbilt, he said.

Students interested in applying should start working on their project proposals now for the fall application deadline, he said. Applicants will be assessed on their academic or professional achievements, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. If awarded one of these scholarships, students won’t have to worry about money for a year while they work on their projects, he said. 

Bassingthwaighte said students interested in applying for this scholarship should do something “extraordinary” with their project proposal to increase their chances.

“Who does creative writing in Egypt? Nobody,” Bassingthwaighte said. “So if you can find an angle like that, you are more likely to get selected. Good recommendations also help.”

Shulman also encouraged UM students to apply, but cautioned that those interested should be willing to put in serious time preparing their applications and project proposals.

“It’s an amazing opportunity,” Shulman said. “It felt nice to be coming back (to Guatemala) with a grant that symbolized other people’s belief in my writing and what I have to say about the U.S.’s history in this country.”

For more information about Fulbright Scholarships, visit http://www.us.fulbrightonline.org or contact UM’s Fulbright adviser Clint Walker at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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