Recent Alumnus Earns Fulbright Scholarship
During his study abroad, former Humanities Scholar Jack Mullee ‘08 rode the Argentina subway like every other passenger. So, how did that lead him to a Fulbright Scholarship?
“I’m a people watcher,” Mullee said. “I spent hours watching groups of salesmen, wondering what their stories were and how these people acted in unison to create a culture.”
During the five months he was in Argentina, Mullee, who graduated with degrees in American studies and sociology, watched for patterns related to the informal economy on the subway. Searching for answers, he tried to connect with the people. He befriended a magician, bought tissues from a middle-aged woman and read political manifestos scribbled on walls. He rode the subway for hours, interviewing natives. But no one seemed to know who these people were.
“No one could offer me a definitive statement on who they were or what they were doing,” Mullee said. “Salespeople and performers were the most reliably present and yet most invisible group on the subway.”
And now his unanswered questions are taking him back toward Argentina. Mullee will return to Argentina in February 2009 on a Fulbright Scholarship and embark on a nine-month exploration. Through ethnographic interviews with salespeople working on the subways, he’ll examine Buenos Aires’ informal economy in hopes of understanding how this network operates and why.
But a Fulbright was on his mind before his study abroad. Using advice from Asynith Palmer ’06, another Humanities Scholar, Mullee started working on his application before he left for Argentina, and his onsite research helped solidify his idea. He cites connections like these, along with individual attention, as some of the greatest benefits of the Humanities Scholars Program.
“Being part of the program was a great experience,” he said. “Everyone is so nice and interested in you. It really affords you a sense of confidence.”
Mullee said he was inspired by the Humanities Scholars Program from the beginning of his freshman year at UMBC. Regular meetings held by the program and Study Abroad office helped prepare him not only for his trip to Argentina but the Fulbright application process. A year before his trip, he sat down with Study Abroad Assistant Director Brian Souders to discuss what university he would attend. Souders helped Mullee find the perfect fit not only academically but individually.
“I try to help students like Jack find an environment that meets not only their academic needs but personal interests,” Souders said. “During one of our meetings, I found that Jack was a big backpacker. To me that opened up Chile and Argentina as they both have easy access to the outdoors and cultures rich in natural beauty.”
Mullee also met with UMBC’s Fulbright Scholarship Committee who helped critique his personal statement, proposal and resume. The committee also held professional interviews with candidates to prepare them for the official Fulbright Committee Interview.
Mullee is one of more than 1,450 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2008-09 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. When he returns from Argentina in November 2009, he hopes to continue his studies and work toward a Ph.D. in either anthropology or sociology.
To learn more about the Humanities Scholars Program, go to http://www.umbc.edu/dreshercenter/scholars_program.html. To learn more about UMBC’s study abroad opportunities, go to http://www.umbc.edu/ies/studyabroad.html.
(9/22/08)
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