"As my U.S. experience is coming to an end, I started to wrap things up and to think about all the amazing adventures that I have encountered in the past couple of months. Beside finishing my doctoral thesis and writing research papers with colleagues from the University, I had the opportunity to meet extremely intelligent people and to make new connections. [...] Tasting the American student life would not have been possible without the Fulbright program and without the people that helped me to evolve both personally and professionally."
Stefania Kerekes
Fulbright Student Researcher, 2020-2021
Hello everyone!
My name is Ștefania Kerekeș and I am a Fulbright Visiting Researcher from Romania, currently doing research at the University of Michigan, School of Public Health.
As my U.S. experience is coming to an end, I started to wrap things up and to think about all the amazing adventures that I have encountered in the past couple of months. Beside finishing my doctoral thesis and writing research papers with colleagues from the University, I had the opportunity to meet extremely intelligent people and to make new connections. Participating on online courses, conferences and other meetings helped me to develop my work on a whole different level and made me appreciate more what I have.
I will never forget how I felt after climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan, after seeing the Bay Area mural paintings in San Francisco and after a nice walk on Brooklyn Bridge in New York city on a Sunday afternoon. Tasting the American student life would not have been possible without the Fulbright program and without the people that helped me to evolve both personally and professionally.
I highly recommend for future students to apply for the Fulbright program and to embrace everything that it has to offer with an open mind.
Thank you very much for this amazing opportunity!!!
Romanian Alumni Stories
"I did not get to give Columbia a proper farewell last Spring, but I will do it now as a new year begins, and as I continue to unpack lessons from my time here. I arrived at Columbia full of curiosity and academic naiveté. Now I’m leaving with a collection of lessons yet to be fully revealed and distilled."