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.
In Vald Arayn
On September 1st, U.S. Fulbrighter Zoë Aqua is releasing her first solo album of original compositions, recorded with Eastern European musicians. “In Vald Arayn” is a collection of 11 string compositions drawing from the Klezmer and Transylvanian musical traditions. The album’s Yiddish title translates to “Into the Forest”, a play on the literal meaning of the word Transylvania, “beyond the forest” in Latin.
Zoë Aqua is a violinist, music educator, and composer. She has been awarded a Fulbright Student research grant in Cluj, Romania for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years to study Transylvanian folk music pedagogy and the way musical folk traditions are passed on from generation to generation.
The first two tracks on Zoë’s album are already available here: In Vald Arayn | Zoe Aqua | Borscht Beat (bandcamp.com).
Read more about her work in this recently published article: Klezmer meets Transylvania in violinist Zoë Aqua’s ‘magical mix’ – Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)
Alumni Stories
"My Fulbright Scholarship to the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars was a great opportunity for me as a mature scholar not only to pursue my research interest but also to meet a network of world-class scholars and policymakers in Washington, D.C. and to present some of my work to a global audience."
Marian Zulean
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2023-2024
"There are many different ways in which Fulbright has enriched my life. I participated in classes, workshops, and presentations, applied advanced new methods in my research, and even attended the largest and most important conference on international education in the world. Yet, in retrospect, the aspect that mattered the most was that I encountered an engaged, diverse, and welcoming academic community."
Dana Solonean
Fulbright Student Researcher, 2023-2024
The University of South Carolina has a big campus with diverse colleges, research units and many activities for students, faculty and the general public. [...] I particularly enjoyed the sense of community inside the university, everybody being helpful and polite, and the structure that made the work process clear and easy to follow. It's been a great pleasure to get to know better a society which functions well as a whole, which invests in research and earns in innovation.
Livia Elena Nica-Rus
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2023-2024
"The Fulbright experience broadened my perspectives and offered valuable insights and connections for my future academic pursuits. Moreover, it inspired ideas that I intend to implement at my university."
Pompiliu-Nicolae Constantin
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2023-2024
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.
Nicolae Urs
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2022-2023
"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."
Maria-Cristina Mocanu
Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, Fall 2022
My Fulbright experience at UW Madison, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, in the field of animal welfare has profoundly changed my life. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and PI for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this journey. Their expertise and encouragement have enriched my learning and research experience beyond measure.
Mădălina Mincu
Fulbright Student Researcher, 2023-2024
"I brought back enduring connections with colleagues and friends and a resolve to return to reconnect and continue to explore the hidden corners of Romania and maybe find my own special spot in a secluded 'sat.'"
Mary Claire Heffron
U.S. Fulbright Scholar, 2019-2020
"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."
Anamaria Georgescu
Fulbright Student, 2020-2022
"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."
Cătălina Crișan
Fulbright-RAF Visiting Scholar, 2020-2021 (deferred to 2021-2022)
"I just wanted to say how deeply and profoundly my exchange to Romania has affected my career. Truly, Romania is my home away from home. I have so many friends and colleagues there and have now visited well over a dozen times. I remain a champion for the program and laud the beauty of Romanian culture at every opportunity."
David Weindorf
U.S. Fulbright Scholar, 2010-2011
"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."
Mirela Sănduleanu
Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, Fall 2022