Many of you know that before I retired I used to help the State Department/IIE administer the Fulbright program in mainland China. Like any job it had its negatives, but for the most part it was work I was very proud of – largely because I had mostly awesome grantees and could see evidence every day of how the work they/we were doing helped to improve understanding and relationships between two countries that otherwise were often very much at odds.
Well, under the guise of supporting demonstrators in HK, Trump slipped a little nugget into an executive order that will abolish the Fulbright program in China and HK. Like most other policies of this administration, it is insane and counter-productive. A group of alumni and supporters have started this petition, which also contains some follow up action points for US citizens. If you would be willing to sign/distribute through your networks, I would be most appreciative.
I’ll redistribute to my network. I think you should be American for your signature to count right?
As a former grantee I can attest that Fulbright is a wonderful program. It changed my life tremendously and despite the few years I spent there I feel like I know a lot about the US and feel a special connection to it. It’s the same for many alumni and has significantly improved the image we had of the US and expanded our horizons and those we interact with. It’ll be a shame to stop it especially in those regions.
Signed. I was a grantee to mainland China back when the program started in 2000 & lived there for several years afterwards. Agree with everything @GeekyGirl said above.
Hey, I didn’t know until this thread that you helped administer the program! I’ve concluded there are some interesting mirror parallels in our lives: it’s possible I was Fulbright in the mainland while you were living in JH, and then you were involved with Fulbright when I first moved to JH. But, yes, my time there is why I can speak Shanghai dialect with my family.
I finished my PhD in September 1999 and moved to NY for my non-profit job. Bought the JH co-op in mid 2000. Moved to Chengdu for non-profit job in Feb 2002, then to Beijing in June 2007 (was on a Blakemore refresher grant at IUP as my transition strategy). Started Fulbright job in Jan 2008.
You probably got emails from me at some point when I was trying to track down all the alumni.
I went to Shanghai in mid-2000 on a Fulbright as a practicing artist (writer) after my MFA. Wasn’t good with email between 2005-2013 while I was doing medical school and residency, but I might also have been hard to track: I have sort of a common name, my email changed a few times, and I’ve had these different careers. We bought our JH co-op in 2015, shortly before having our kid.
(And of all the different things I’ve done, parenting has been the hardest!)
Yep, I’m guessing you were one of the many “I wonder what happened to them” names i had on my alumni lists from the early years of the program. My boss (KC) never tried to actively follow up with people after their grants (or much during, either). Part of the reason I was hired to work on the program.
If you tell me you live in the Greystones I will pass out!
