2016-2017 Arhu Fulbright Recipients

Stay tuned for continuous updates on the ARHU Fulbright awardees.

Last updated: April 19, 2016

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for undergraduate and graduate students as well as recent graduates to create their own study/research projects or teach English abroad. The program provides unique opportunities in over 140 countries for students to gain international experience, personal enrichment and cultural exchanges. For more information on the Fulbright program, visit us.fulbrightonline.org or contact University of Maryland's (UMD) National Scholarships Office at fulbright@umd.edu.

Note: Announcements are made on a rolling deadline as the various host countries make their decisions. We will keep this list as current as possible as additional winners are announced.

ARHU Recipients

Eben Levey, doctoral student, history

Eben Levey has been awarded a Fulbright research grant to complete his project in Mexico: “From Liberation Theology to Teología India: Progressive Catholicism in Southern Mexico.”

Levey’s project will draw upon church and state archives, along with the oral histories of two community case studies, to examine the implementation of liberation theology in the Mexican Catholic Church following the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) and its impact on indigenous communities. His project addresses the longstanding concern of the relationship between religious practice and politics in the contexts of democratization and structural transformation. He has secured affiliations with Professor Manuel Esparza Camargo of the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Margarita Dalton, a professor and historian in the Center for Investigation and Advance Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS) from Unidad Pacífico Sur, an anthropology research center in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Upon his return to the U.S., Levey plans to write his dissertation, pursue a professorship and continue to engage with his Mexican affiliates and the communities in which he conducts his research. His advisor at the UMD is Associate Professor of History Karin Rosemblatt.

Meghan Bowden, master in fine arts, dance

Meghan Bowden has been awarded a Fulbright for research and professional collaboration in Ghana. Her project title is “Choreographing Sankofa: An Exploration of Ghanaian Contemporary Dance.” At UMD, Bowden has been mentored by Karen Bradley, associate professor and chairwoman of the MFA Dance program, as well as Miriam Phillips, who is chairwoman of Bowden’s thesis committee.

Bowden’s project builds on a tradition of collaborative art-making between American and Ghanaian dance artists. She will focus on Ghanaian dance technique and composition classes at the Noyam Institute of Performing Arts (Noyam) in Dodowa, Ghana. She will also create a collaborative dance piece with Nii-Tete Yartey— the artistic director of the National Dance Company of Ghana— that will explore choreographic practice in relationship to national identity and pedagogical intersections of traditional and contemporary dance forms. She will also teach modern dance technique workshops and master classes to Noyam’s community youth dance theater and local students.

  Rachel O’Meara, senior, linguistics and Chinese

Rachel O’ Meara has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan. This opportunity will build on her ESL teaching experience in Chengdu, China, where she also studied in 2014. O’Meara is a member of the Gemstone Honors Program of the University Honors College and alumna of the Global Semester Program.

While teaching English in Taiwan, O’Meara plans to participate in regional festivals and organize groups to explore Taiwan’s mountainous regions through biking, hiking and camping expeditions. Upon her return to the U.S., she hopes to work in the field of international relations or education, as she prepares for the Foreign Service Exam.

Sarah Marsteller, senior, history and Germanic studies

Sarah Marsteller has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Germany. Marsteller recently returned from Germany, having completed an internship at the German-American Center in Stuttgart last summer, followed by her study abroad program in Freiburg in fall 2015. She is a member of UMD’s University Honors Program.

While teaching in Germany, Marsteller plans to be involved in the local community through one of the German-American Centers found throughout the country or as a volunteer at a museum. After her Fulbright year, she will pursue work that builds on her German skills and experiences, such as working at the German-American Heritage Center or the German Historical Institute. After a few years of working, she hopes to pursue a master's degree.

Elizabeth Beavers ’13, music education and vocal performance

Elizabeth Beavers has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to South Korea. As a student at UMD, Beavers was a member of the University Honors College and the UMD Chamber Singers, with which she traveled to South Korea to participate in the 10th World Symposium on Choral Music. She was also a co-founder of Voices, an arts outreach program affiliated with UMD.  Beavers is currently a secondary music teacher and choral director with Baltimore County Public Schools.

While teaching English in South Korea, Beavers plans to explore Korean choral music, learn Korean musical traditions and collect repertoire. After completing her Fulbright year, she plans to hone her craft as a high school choral director or pursue a career in conducting.

Theresa Brecker ’15, Spanish

 Theresa Brecker has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Colombia. As a student at UMD, Brecker was a member of the University Honors Program and the Language House immersion program.

While teaching English in Colombia, Brecker plans to volunteer with a program that focuses on the empowerment of girls. She is particularly interested in “Fundación Pies Descalzos, a nonprofit that works to create a holistic educational experience for students by teaching them nutrition and life skills. After completing her Fulbright year, Brecker plans to pursue a career as an ESOL or Spanish language teacher.

Alina Tsaturov ’15, government and politics and Russian studies

Alisa Tsaturov, has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Latvia. Her proposal builds on her experience as an English tutor at the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education. She is currently working as a program assistant with the U.S. Department of State.

While teaching in Latvia, Tsaturov hopes to organize a book and film club to support students in their efforts to learn the English language. She would also like to volunteer at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia and learn about the country’s path to independence and how Latvians view their shared post-Soviet identity in a historical context. After returning to the U.S., she plans to enter a master’s program in public policy and pursue a career in international affairs.