On March 31- April 1, 2016, the University of Iowa will host its second annual Fulbright Day to celebrate past UI Fulbright faculty and student awardees and to provide prospective students the opportunity to learn more about the Fulbright process. In the year of its 70th anniversary, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
As part of this year's event, Fulbright Alumni Ambassador Giuseppe Céspedes and BJ McDuffie from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs will meet with potential applicants, current awardees, and candidates.
BJ McDuffie - BJ is a contracted public affairs and recruitment specialist for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, where her responsibilities include a focus on social media, recruitment, and coordinating strategic communications plans for the Fulbright outreach team. A native Iowa City resident, prior to working at the U.S. Department of State, BJ worked as an intern and consultant at the UNESCO Forum on Higher Education Research and Knowledge and on the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Student Learning Center project at AED, the Academy for Educational Development. Most recently BJ served as a communication officer at FHI 360. While working on her M.A. in Paris, BJ served as an English Teaching Assistant for two academic years in French primary schools through the French Department of Education, and taught intercultural communications to high school students studying abroad in the Summer Study in Paris program. BJ holds a certificate in book publishing, marketing and publicity concentration, from the CUNY Publishing Institute, a B.A. in media studies from Hunter College, and an M.A. in global communications and civil society development from the American University of Paris. Prior to transferring to Hunter College, BJ attended the University of Iowa for several semesters.
Giuseppe Céspedes - In the coastal city of Ilhéus, Brazil, Giuseppe assistant taught English grammar and conversation classes to university students at the Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz. He also conducted several cross-cultural workshops, which later evolved into a student-led, week-long series of events at the university promoting language learning. Outside of the classroom, Giuseppe spent his time practicing capoeira, dancing forró, and recording music with local musicians. Giuseppe is currently working as a senior migration counselor at Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York, providing direct legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children. He also serves as a mentor for undergraduate students in the Latino Alumni Association of Rutgers University mentorship program.
Fulbright Day Information Sessions
Join us for a chance to meet with McDuffie, Céspedes, and others at our information sessions open to interested students and applicants. All interested students are encouraged to attend, including first- and second-year undergraduates.
Thursday, March 31
Fulbright Information Session 1
Roundtable discussion with Giuseppe Céspedes
10:30-11:30 a.m.
612 Phillips Hall
Register for this event here.
Fulbright Information Session 2
Roundtable discussion with Giuseppe Céspedes and BJ McDuffie
7:30-8:30 p.m.
1117 University Capitol Centre
Register for this event here.
Friday, April 1
Fulbright Information Session 3
Roundtable discussion with Giuseppe Céspedes and BJ McDuffie
10:30-11:30 a.m.
315 Phillips Hall
Register for this event here.
Fulbright Lunch, Keynote and Roundtable with Fulbright Faculty and Students
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
1117 UCC
11:30-12:00 p.m. - Buffet lunch begins
12:00 -1:00 p.m. - Program and keynote speeches
Register for this event here.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships are available to undergraduate, graduate, and recently graduated students from all disciplines, including arts, humanities, business, social sciences, and STEM fields with opportunities available in more than 140 countries. Learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and Fulbright at the University of Iowa.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Mary Paterson in advance at mary-paterson@uiowa.edu.