Fulbright advising program fosters high student application numbers
By: Macy Ayers
Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: News
DePauw is among the nation's top Fulbright-producing schools, sending three students abroad to study and teach for each of the past two years.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, DePauw ranked in the top 50 bachelor's institutions both of those years. The program is notoriously competitive: about 1,400 students receive awards every year.
Doug Harms, Fulbright program adviser and a professor of computer science, took the advisory position two years ago, and continues to guide DePauw's climb to the top.
President Brian Casey said he is pleasantly surprised by DePauw's progress this year.
"To have 39 Fulbright applications is unbelievable, it is off the charts in terms of production of Fulbrights," Casey said.
Even though the school reached the Fulbright upper echelon under his watch, Harms wants more. He said any institution with three or more Fulbright recipients made the Chronicle list, so DePauw is near the bottom.
"I think we have the potential, think we can do a lot to move up," Harms said.
To do that, he plans to build on areas in which the program already excels.
What DePauw does well
The best part of DePauw's program, Harms said, is the individualized attention and help applicants get throughout the process.
"Many institutions wait for deadline, but it was our choice to work with the applicants and help them improve," Harms said.
Casey said that the faculty worked "day and night" to improve this year's batch of applications.
"It was an unbelievable commitment," Casey said. "I couldn't be more in debt to these people."
It all starts with interest meetings in the fall and spring every year. Traditionally juniors come in the spring and seniors come in fall. Harms first coordinates the letter of affiliation. The letter comes from someone in a student's potential host country, saying they will accept the student should they be chosen for the Fulbright.
Anyone who intends to submit an application gets help from a committee of faculty members who have participated in Fulbright or similar programs. Other faculty members regularly consult and advise projects.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, DePauw ranked in the top 50 bachelor's institutions both of those years. The program is notoriously competitive: about 1,400 students receive awards every year.
Doug Harms, Fulbright program adviser and a professor of computer science, took the advisory position two years ago, and continues to guide DePauw's climb to the top.
President Brian Casey said he is pleasantly surprised by DePauw's progress this year.
"To have 39 Fulbright applications is unbelievable, it is off the charts in terms of production of Fulbrights," Casey said.
Even though the school reached the Fulbright upper echelon under his watch, Harms wants more. He said any institution with three or more Fulbright recipients made the Chronicle list, so DePauw is near the bottom.
"I think we have the potential, think we can do a lot to move up," Harms said.
To do that, he plans to build on areas in which the program already excels.
What DePauw does well
The best part of DePauw's program, Harms said, is the individualized attention and help applicants get throughout the process.
"Many institutions wait for deadline, but it was our choice to work with the applicants and help them improve," Harms said.
Casey said that the faculty worked "day and night" to improve this year's batch of applications.
"It was an unbelievable commitment," Casey said. "I couldn't be more in debt to these people."
It all starts with interest meetings in the fall and spring every year. Traditionally juniors come in the spring and seniors come in fall. Harms first coordinates the letter of affiliation. The letter comes from someone in a student's potential host country, saying they will accept the student should they be chosen for the Fulbright.
Anyone who intends to submit an application gets help from a committee of faculty members who have participated in Fulbright or similar programs. Other faculty members regularly consult and advise projects.
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