Romania took hold of my heart in 2015 and since then has consumed my mind and soul. As with any genuine commitment, my relationship with this beautiful, complex country has grown and deepened over time as I have learned of its many tragedies, as well as its many triumphs. I have surrendered myself to Romania. [...] As I continue my Romanian journey, I marvel over the resiliency and fortitude of the people. I am fortunate to have developed close relationships, familial in many ways, with many Romanians. And I am eternally grateful to have been granted a Fulbright and honored to become part of this amazing community.
Humphrey Alumni Share their U.S. Experience with Future Applicants
On July 5, potential applicants to the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship had a chance to meet with Oana Claudia Iacob – Humphrey Alumna 2010-2011, Vlad Odobescu – Humphrey Alumnus 2014-2015, and Madalina Turza – Humphrey Alumna 2016-2017, in an event co-organized by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission and the Romanian-U.S. Alumni Association, hosted by Funky Citizens Association, with the support of its president, Elena Calistru.
Oana Claudia, also a member of the Romanian-U.S. Alumni Association board, whose Humphrey institutional affiliation was the University of Washington, introduced the topic and mentioned personal anecdotes about the application and the assessment process. She gave the floor to Vlad, who shared his personal experience as a Humphrey Fellow in Journalism at Arizona State University. Madalina, one of the most recent alumnae of the program, offered practical advice to the prospective applicants and provided some useful details about her experience as a Humphrey Fellow in Human Rights Law/Inclusive Education at the University of Minnesota. In keeping with the informal setting, the participants were encouraged to freely join the conversation and ask questions concerning the program and the three speakers’ experience as Humphrey Fellows. The three alumni shared their post-fellowship experience, focusing on the networking and leadership values promoted by this program in particular, as well as on the long-term impact the challenging Humphrey experience brings about.
The competition for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship 2019 is still open, applications should be submitted by July 30.