A Year in the Fulbright Life: Omnia G.’s Story

For the next year, Fulbright MENA will be showcasing a handful of students as they study in the United States with their new series, A Year in the Fulbright Life. Each month, spotlighted students will share an update as they continue on their Fulbright journey.

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September 2017

“Recently I volunteered at the Heart of Ghent 10k race in Norfolk, Virginia. Ghent is a very beautiful city and I always see people run here, but in this race, they ran for charity. One of the charities helps homeless children in Kenya. It was very fun, and I met a group of very nice Americans who I volunteered with. My favorite moment was when a runner would say thank you for the water that I gave out, even though she was exhausted from the race. It was such a nice day, and I loved being able to spend more time in my American community.”

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October 2017

One of my American friends, Taylor, recently took me to get ice cream at Coldstone so I could try homemade American ice cream! I’ve gone past the store a million times but never noticed the ice cream shop. Taylor has been a really great friend since I arrived. She introduces me to American culture, clarifies what I miss due to differences, and is also deeply interested in different cultures. I’m lucky to have such a great friend who helps take care of me when I need it!

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November 2017

This month our program went on a field trip to the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services in Richmond. It was a two-hour drive, but the laboratories were amazing and definitely worth it. At the lab, they run experiments on bioterrorism, chemical weapons, food adulteration, and newborn screening. I really enjoyed my time with my classmates at the lab learning all about the work they do there.

“I went to the Hampton Roads Reptile Expo with my friend Taylor, where spiders, snakes, worms, and frogs were all on display. I saw plenty of snakes with gorgeous colors. Because of this experience, I was able to overcome my fear of animals and reptiles and even held a lizard! It was amazing.

December 2017

This semester I asked for a rotation in Dr. Anca Dobrian’s lab to gain hands-on experience working on endothelial cells! I learned a lot and met such wonderful people in this lab. Dr. Dobrain is an excellent primary investigator and Bronson, her Ph.D. candidate, was an amazing instructor. By the end of the semester, Dr. Dobrian invited the lab students and techs to dinner at a Greek restaurant. Many of the meals had Middle Eastern and Egyptian elements, and it was the perfect end to a tedious semester.

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Omnia is from Egypt and is studying Biotechnology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA.

Follow updates from Omnia and other Fulbright students on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Check back here every month for more updates on the blog and Medium Series to see what Omnia does this year!

You can view other Fulbright Life stories here: https://medium.com/@FulbrightMENA/

Following J. William Fulbright: The Transformative Power of Pre-Academic Programs

 Fulbright Pre-Academic Program Participants in front of statue of J. William Fulbright

My Fulbright Pre-Academic Program at the University of Arkansas was a fantastic introduction to living and studying in the United States. In just three weeks, I was able to get to know 37 other Fulbrighters from around the world. I also had the opportunity to meet American graduate student mentors, the staff of the University of Arkansas, and several host families and lecturers. Meeting all of these people from different backgrounds, and with different perspectives, has enriched my knowledge of the world.

The Pre-Academic Program schedule was rich and intensive, and it gave us confidence, courage and support. We lived with American host families, visited an elderly residence home, and even conducted simulations in which we practiced initiating conversations with new people. For me, however, the most memorable part of the Program was visiting Little Rock Central High School and Museum. This high school was at the center of the desegregation struggle in the 1950s, and is now famous as the home of “the Little Rock Nine,” the first group of African American students who tried to attend the school but were initially refused entry. This experience introduced our group to the struggles of the Civil Rights era, an important period of American history.

Another memorable part of our day in Little Rock was that on the return trip, some students sang songs from their home countries into the bus microphone. This funny experience broke the ice and was entertaining, which made our trip back go by much faster! From this I learned that journeys are what we make of them.

Fulbright students in front of Little Rock Central High School

Just a few hours before the closing ceremony of the Pre-Academic Program, my professors asked me to give a speech on behalf of the Fulbright group. I was thrilled and honored to do so! I decided not to prepare a memorized text, but to tell the story of every Fulbright student: a narrative that begins with a dream, continues toward making the dream come to fruition, and ends with the challenges and excitement of the dream (a Fulbright grant) coming true. I was often reminded during my time in the program of the dream of J. William Fulbright. Being at the University of Arkansas, walking in his steps, and seeing his statue—with his head held high but in a humble posture, was a privilege. Destiny or some other force brought us all together to start our journeys in the same place as J. William Fulbright.

Fatima studies Filmmaking at The City College of New York. She aspires to become a documentary filmmaker and to use the art form to bring attention to social issues such as women’s rights and access to education.

Fulbright Friends 4ever : Advice for Graduating Fulbright Students

                              

         Fulbrighter Maaly supported by fellow Fulbrighters at Fulbright Enrichment Seminar

       

         Any member of the Fulbright Program team will tell you ----the most rewarding aspect of their work is meeting Fulbright students in person. As a Fulbright Communications Officer, I don’t often get face-time with our students. I’m usually writing, posting and creating content that showcases their unbelievable achievements. During the past few months, however, I’ve gotten lucky and had several opportunities to break away from my computer and interact with Fulbrighters during Enrichment Seminars, at volunteer projects and on college campuses. For me, these experiences confirmed a Fulbright fact - that Fulbrighters are among the best and the brightest - but they also revealed a lesser-known truth; Fulbright is friendship.

 Fulbright students Nada (right) and Sara (left) in art studio

        I first discovered that Fulbright friendship “was a thing” during a visit to the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) when I met second-year Fulbright student, Nada, to discuss her thesis project. As Nada and I sat in her studio drinking cups of hot tea, she explained the planning process for her art curation project, which included everything from venue scouting to networking with artists. When I said that implementing such a project seemed daunting, she immediately mentioned that Sara, another Fulbright student, had helped her throughout the process. In fact, she said that she also chose Sara as one of only four artists to be featured in her exhibit. As it turned out, Sara was later able to join us, and together they told me the story: they met as Fulbrighters, became roommates, and then grew to be best friends.

 

Fulbright students Najat (right) and Nourhan (left) in Philadelphia

 

        After my “ah-ha” moment with Nada and Sara, I began to notice close Fulbright ties at every Fulbright event I attended. At an Enrichment Seminar in Philadelphia, for example, I overheard phone-number exchanges, agreements to collaborate on research, and future plans to meet-up. I also received countless “would you take a picture of us” requests. Before snapping the photo, I always asked the students when they met----often the answer was, “yesterday.” Likewise, at the 2016 Fulbright Reentry Seminar in Washington, DC, the “Fulbright Alumni Engagement Wall” (a space to brainstorm ways to continue the Fulbright mission as alumni) was filled with pledges to collaborate with fellow Fulbrighters to solve issues in their home communities. One student even wrote that he hopes to marry a fellow Fulbrighter---that’s taking friendship to a whole new level.

          

        

        And it wasn’t just in-person that I noticed close Fulbright ties; I found the support Fulbright students extend to one another on social media as equally inspiring. My advice to Fulbright students is to keep this up. If you cherish support and friendship from your Fulbright colleagues now, chances are that you’ll need their guidance even more in the future ---as Fulbright alumni. So the message to future graduating Fulbright students is this: stay positive, stay engaged, and most importantly, stay connected. Oh, and keep sending those positive Facebook messages. Fulbrighters are friends-4ever.