Friends of Fulbright Argentina Returns

St. John’s University’s Office of International Education hosted the Friends of Fulbright Argentina program this spring after a two-year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions. It is the fourth time the program was held since it began in 2018. 

This year’s grantees were welcomed to the Queens, NY, campus by Christina Quartararo, Interim Assistant Provost, Office of Global Programs. The six-week exchange program provides highly motivated and academically gifted Argentine undergraduate students with the opportunity to study at a US university and experience and participate in US culture. 

During their visit, the scholars audited courses related to their majors such as biotechnology, economics, international relations, law, and political science. St. John’s faculty and administrators gave special presentations including: “Speaking for Success” by Lawrence F. Pitilli, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English and Speech, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies; “Cultural Competence for Equity and Inclusion” by Monique Jernigan, Executive Director, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Director of the Inclusivity Center; and “Research in a Global Context” by Kathryn Shaughnessy, Associate University Librarian for Teaching, Research and Scholarship. The students also improved their English language skills and cultural knowledge in classes led by English Language Institute instructors Leslie Haynes and Genie Smiddy. 

Expanding their perspectives outside classroom walls, the students enjoyed a Broadway play, a St. John’s Men’s Basketball game, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and ethnic neighborhoods in Williamsburg, Jackson Heights, and Washington Heights. The Friends of Fulbright Scholarship program is funded by the US Department of State and supported by the US Embassy in Argentina.