Five University of Scranton Graduates Earn Fulbright Scholarships

May 29, 2013

Five University of Scranton graduates will make the most of their individual talents and interests as they share with – and learn from – cultures around the world as Fulbright scholars.

In a banner year for an already strong tradition at Scranton, five graduates have been selected for Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards for the 2013-2014 academic year.

University of Scranton graduates earning Fulbright awards are: Elena M. Habersky ’13, Dallas, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Jordan; Shannon M. Haberzettl G’13, Dingmans Ferry, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Malaysia; Rebecca Schmaeling ’13, Smithtown, N.Y., Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Spain; Joseph R. Seemiller ’13, Lehighton, Fulbright Research Scholarship to the University of Cologne, Germany; and Jan Alexander Wessel ’13, Drums, Fulbright Research Scholarship to Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary.

The Fulbright program is the U.S. government’s premier scholarship program for overseas graduate study, research and teaching. For eight consecutive years, The Chronicle of Higher Education has listed The University of Scranton among the “top producers” of Fulbright awards for American students. Since 1972, a total of 144 University of Scranton students have been awarded grants in the competitions administered by the Institute of International Education.

“As Fulbright scholars, our graduates will focus on research and teaching projects ranging from studying the effects of the recent recession on foreign direct investment in Hungary to teaching American culture and English as a foreign language to high school students in Malaysia,” said Susan Trussler, Ph.D., Fulbright Program Adviser and associate professor of economics/finance at The University of Scranton. “But of equal importance, each of these five graduates will immerse themselves in the local communities and continue their remarkable records of service by volunteering at women’s centers and local museums, and serving in student clubs and joining cultural activities in their respective host countries.”

The awards were announced recently by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. The award recipients were drawn from a pool of more than 9,000 applicants nationally.

In addition to the five University graduates receiving Fulbrights two additional graduates have been named as alternates for awards: Brian V. Entler ’13 of Scranton is an alternate to Australia and Dana N. Trembley ’13 of Union, N.J., is an alternate to Canada. 

Additional information about each Fulbright recipient can be found by clicking on the graduate’s name above.

Fulbright Group

Five University of Scranton graduates have earned Fulbright awards for the 2013-2014 academic year. Seated, from left, are: Susan Trussler, Ph.D., Fulbright Program Adviser; Elena M. Habersky ’13, Dallas, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Jordan; and Rebecca Schmaeling ’13, Smithtown, N.Y., Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Spain. Standing, from left, are: University of Scranton President Kevin P. Quinn, S.J.; Shannon M. Haberzettl G’13, Dingmans Ferry, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Malaysia; Jan Alexander Wessel ’13, Drums, Fulbright Research Scholarship to Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary; Joseph R. Seemiller ’13, Lehighton, Fulbright Research Scholarship to the University of Cologne, Germany; and Harold Baillie, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

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