Romanian Alumni Stories
Fulbright is not just about research and academic events. At least for me, it was also about meeting new people, experiencing the local food, trying to understand different values. For two months my wife and daughter (she is 9) were in Athens with me, and together we were able to travel to Orlando, San Francisco, and Washington. The experiences we had together were extraordinary, and my daughter was impressed enough to declare that she plans to come to college at UGA, probably around 2032.
I am very thankful and proud of my Fulbright Scholarship, this was the gateway for my first time in the United States of America and to gaining a fantastic insight into entrepreneurial culture. [...] I feel I have an improved mindset and plan to apply, shift and transfer some of this added value in the years to come in all my career projects.
"There are not enough words to express my ground-breaking experience in the US. I will be forever grateful for this amazing opportunity and I warmly recommend the Fulbright Program in its entirety as one of the best academic experiences possible."
Living and researching in the U.S. as a Fulbright scholar representing Romania is a life-changing experience, and I truly believe that any student, teacher or researcher should apply. This is an effective way we could use to bring about change in our academic system, both by enriching our education and by developing new educational and cultural relationships.
"Looking back, I realize that the goals, hopes and dreams I had at the beginning of my Fulbright journey were far more modest than what was fully offered to me. Not just from an academic point of view, but the travels that I’ve made, the professors and colleagues I have worked with, the people I met and the entire cultural experience of having lived in the United States for two years, have been an axial part of this experience."
"The experience as a Fulbrighter will define my approach in driving entrepreneurship development and has reinforced my knowledge and expertise to become a changemaker in my community."
"I would say that the Fulbright TEA Program is ultimately about people. It is about a hardworking and committed team of professionals being there at your every beck and call. A collective effort meant to ensure a safe and rewarding time and space for each and every participant irrespective of their ethnicity, race, gender, religion or ableness. It is an enlightening lesson about democracy, acceptance and equity. Far-reaching and all-embracing!"
"My Fulbright experience at University of Illinois in Chicago, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs reshaped the boundaries of my world and broadened my horizon. The Fulbright experience is all about helping you explore your skills to the fullest. Speaking as someone who loves a challenge, the Fulbright experience was everything I had hoped it would be."
"Writing about my Fulbright experience in the past tense is probably one of the hardest things I had to do in my adult life, not because I am unable to, nor am I the type of person who easily becomes overly nostalgic, but simply because it was an experience I would have never wanted to end. The further in time I get from it, the more I feel how it has changed me, how spending forty-five days immersed in such a transformative environment turned me into an even more focused professional, a better teacher and overall, an improved human being."
“The Fulbright experience meant a lot to me. I had the chance to learn what true music teaching means and, through research, to broaden my musical understanding getting to realize limitless perspectives of new music techniques.”