A-B Tech history instructor awarded Fulbright Scholar Program grant to teach in Kyrgyz Republic

Press release:

David Dry Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Kyrgyz for Teaching Assignment

David Dry, History Instructor at A-B Tech Community College, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program grant to the Kyrgyz Republic in American History from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Dry will be teaching as part of his project titled, “Forging Connections: American History, International Class Partnerships, and English Language Education.”

Dry is one of over 1,200 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research and provide expertise abroad for the 2016-2017 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

Dry will start teaching Survey of American History in September and will remain abroad teaching for two semesters, which lasts 10 months. “I currently do international collaborations with Germany, Taiwan and Russia in my classes,” he says. “I am always interested in international education and Fulbright was a great opportunity to establish another connection.”

Randee Goodstadt, Social Sciences Chair at A-B Tech and Dry’s supervisor, says Dry is well-deserving of the honor.  “It’s very rare for community college faculty to get a Fulbright,” Goodstadt notes. “We’re going to really miss David, who is a marvelous instructor, but he’ll be back teaching for us come Fall 2017.  Imagine what his international experience is going to add to every class he teaches at A-B Tech.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Fulbright Program’s establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. Since then, the Program has given more than 360,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Fulbrighters address critical global challenges – from sustainable energy and climate change to public health and food security – in all areas, while building relationships, knowledge and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States and the world. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 54 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 82 who have received Pulitzer Prizes and 33 who have served as a head of state or government.

Fulbright recipients are among over 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars.

For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State, please visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office by telephone (202-632-6452) or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov.