2017 MACECE Newsletter
Years of Promoting Mutual Understanding MACECE 2017 NEWSLETTER
The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship. J. William Fulbright
Issue 18
A Word from the Executive Secretary
Dear Fulbright Friends Near and Dear, Far and Wide:
We at the Moroccan-American Commission trust that our 2017 Newsletter finds you well in this New Year of 2018. This happens to be the first Newsletter we’ve sent out since 2009. While we, too, discovered Facebook at the beginning of the decade and are pretty active on it and other social media, it seems to me that as those platforms evolve, a return to what we used to know, a real newsletter, is needed now more than ever. So take a look. The idea is to give you a little taste of everything we do. We’ve made it easy to read, and I hope, engaging to look at. Print it out or leave it on your desktop for reading and looking later, but in the meantime, we’ve done this for you. It’s a little way of saying that you matter. Without you, we wouldn’t have anywhere to send it! This is a big project: we have lots more addresses to send it to than the last Newsletter. You are legion; you are now (at least) 2400 grantees selected for a round trip across the Atlantic since the founding of the Commission in 1982. As you read this, I hope it makes you think of what Fulbright has meant to you and how the Fulbright made connections in your life, gave you new ways of thinking, and provided you a step or two toward the life you lead now. And I think about how together, you are the engine that will take us forward into the future. Your lives stretch across that two-way street that spans the Atlantic Ocean between its two shores. You know that geologists have recently pushed forward our understanding of the single continent, Pangaea, that united the entire land mass of the planet some 250 million years ago. This is before we drifted apart and landed up where we are now, of course. Way back. But it does truly appear that once upon a time, the Atlas met the Appalachians, and you could have walked from Fez to Philly. Atlas rocks have been found in the waters off Massachusetts, indicating something of what I’ve always known about Morocco and America: we’re really closer than you think! Anyway, with that little diversion into geology, let me add a final word: be in touch. We’d like to know what you are doing. Maybe next time, next Newsletter, you’ll be in these pages, too! Thanks a lot, Dr. Miller
Board Members The Commission is managed by a Board of six Moroccans and six Americans who serve without compensation. Board Members are appointed by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the American Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, respectively, and the Minister and the Ambassador serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Commission. The Board meets four times a year to set policy and review Commission activities. The Board is responsible for screening and selecting grantees.
Amine Bensaid, President President, Mundiapolis University Casablanca
Hassan Mekouar, Treasurer Professor (ret.), English Dept., Faculty of Letters, Rabat
Wail Benjelloun Past President, Mohammed V University-Agdal, Rabat
Mokhtar Annaki Yassir Touhami Regional Senior Vice President for Global Head of Content & Editorial, Development,Whitney International Intellectual Property & Science,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation
Thomson Reuters
Erica Thibault Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy, Rabat
Julianne M. Furman General Manager, Polydesign Systems, Tangier
John Davison Gary Butzbach, Vice Treasurer Director, Tangier American Legation Director (ret.), Institute for Moroccan Studies American Language Center, Rabat (TALIM)
Brian George, Vice President Public Affairs Officer US. Embassy, Rabat
Carrie Monahan Deputy Country Director Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) 3
2017 Fulbright Regional Workshop “Investing in a Changing Landscape” MACECE began 2017 by hosting the Fulbright Regional Workshop in Tangier. Some 55 attendees from the Department of State in Washington and U.S. embassies from the throughout the region plus colleagues from the regional Fulbright Commissions gathered at the American Legation in Tangier to discuss how to strengthen Fulbright opportunities and meet the challenges facing Fulbright programs in the MENA region and at home in Washington. The Workshop’s three intensive days in Tangier were followed by an excursion to Chefchaouen, where everyone found a bit of peace and relaxation.
Deputy Director, Khalid Baalou and Raquel Rosenbloom, 2016-2017 Fulbright ETA in Tetouan, at the workshop reception
Maggie Nassif, Director of the Binational Fulbright Commission In Egypt
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IN THIS ISSUE
2017 Annual Fulbright Enrichment Seminar: March 19-23 The 2017 Annual Fulbright Enrichment Seminar for U.S. Fulbright Student Researchers from throughout the region took place at the Hôtel La Tour Hassan in March. Students gathered in
PRODUCTIVITY TIPS TO
Rabat to present their research findings in
HELP YOU FOR YOUR
eight thematic panels demonstrating their
EXAMINATIONS
wide-ranging interests in the peoples and cultures of countries from the Emirates to
The group continued their Moroccan journey with an excursion to Casablanca, where they visited the Hassan II Mosque and participated in a talent show at University Hassan II’s Faculty of Letters Ben Msik.
Morocco. One panel, for example, brought together researchers looking at questions of “Trade, Religion, Slavery, and Rebellion” through historical, political science, and archaeological perspectives.
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24TH ANNUAL MORO CC AN STUDIES SYMPOSIUM:  MAY 18 - 19 The Commission convenes an annual conference, The Symposium, for all U.S. Fulbright research grantees, both students and scholars, and invites other American researchers as well as the ETAs. The Symposium pairs grantees, who give a formal paper on their research, with a Moroccan discussant, who comment on their presentations, research strategies, and findings. The Symposium provides an opportunity for grantees to present their projects at whatever stage of development they have reached, ties many ideas together, and
"It's really a great chance to have different eyes on your work and to help improve it" Sara Del Fiero, Columbia University
strengthens their sense of intellectual and social community.
" I think the quality of the presentations and the discussions afterward is impressive. a wide variety of different topics were addressed and all of them seem very relevant." John Battenburg, Fulbright Senior Scholar 2016/2017 California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo 6
MACECE’s Anniversary : 35 years are just a beginning On November 9, we celebrated the 35th Anniversary of the Binational Agreement establishing the Commission in 1982. Since that time, more than 1,700 Moroccans have participated in the Fulbright program in the United States and more than 700 Americans have come to Morocco under the Fulbright program. The event took place at the new Hotel The View in Hay Riad(Rabat), and more than 300 people came to enjoy the evening program, which was focused on the accomplishments of Moroccan Fulbright alumni. Chargé d’Affaires Stephanie Miley began the show by highlighting the role that the Fulbright Program plays world-wide, and noted how pleased she has been to encounter Fulbright alumni throughout her travels in Morocco. President of the Board of MACECE, Dr. Amine Bensaîd, underlined the importance of his Fulbright grant at Carneigie Mellon University in his career. Al Akhawayn President Driss Ouaouicha identified Fulbright as an important factor in the quality of life at AUI through the education of many of its professors and the onward journey of its students. Professor Fatima Sadiqi developed the theme of Fulbright making a difference in her own scholarly life and in those of her students.
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ALUMNI AWARDS AT THE 35TH The outstanding contributions made by Moroccan alumni in their different professional fields and in civic life were celebrated as the MACECE Impact Awards were awarded to these five alumni at the 35th Anniversary:
AZIZ EL KOBAITI IDRISSI Aziz received a Joint Supervision grant in 2008 to research his interests in sufism at Loyola University of Chicago and is today a professor in the Department of Islamic Studies at University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah. Aziz is the Founder and President of The International Academic Center of Sufi and Aesthetic Studies (IACSAS) and author of Islamic Sufism in the West; The Moroccan Sufi Presence in Britain and other works. He has emerged as a major scholar of Moroccan sufism.
OUSSAMA EL ADDOULI Oussama was a 2006 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at the University of New England and since 2014 has served as the Director at IES Abroad, one of the most prominent centers for American university students studying in Morocco. Several of Oussama’s students have applied and been accepted for Fulbright student grants as a result, generating a new generation of American scholars who develop expertise in Morocco, North Africa, Islam, Arabic language, and literature.
AICHA LEMTOUNI Aicha held a US AID scholarship for graduate studies and received her Ph.D. from Cornell in Sociology and International Nutrition. She taught nutrition for 25 years at Institut Agronomique et Véterinaire Hassan II. Aicha received a Fulbright Post-Doc Award in 1996 to further her research at Johns Hopkins University and in the same year she co-founded the Institute for Leadership and Communication Studies (ILCS) in Rabat, and has been a leader in advancing these skills among Moroccan students.
HASSAN RADOINE Hassan completed his PhD in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania through a 2001 Fulbright Study grant. He is Director of the École Nationale d’Architecture and has taught at the University of Sharjah, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, and Al Akhawayn, and has served as an international expert for UNESCO, UN, UN-Habitat, ICCROM, MCC, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. His research and practice explores architecture and urbanism in the Middle East and North Africa region, as seen in his 2017 publication, Architecture in Context: Designing in the Middle East.
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Mohammed Dahbi Lifetime Achievement Award A legendary professor of English, Mohammed Dahbi received a Fulbright Study Grant in 1980 for his Ph.D. in Linguistics at Georgetown University. As former Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, he has helped build the global reputation of AUI and has left an indelible mark on Morocco’s English-language university.
35 YearsÂ
+2400 Alumni
Since the Commission was established, more than 1700 Moroccan and 700 American Fulbrighters have helped to strengthen Moroccan-American relations under the Fulbright banner.
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Worship News
Pre-Departure Orientations
CT 2019 ISSUE 12 VOL. 10
Foreign Language Teaching Assistants: July 10 MACECE’s PDO for the 2017-18 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship (FLTA) cohort took place at the Sheraton Casablanca in the context of the wider PDO for all Arabic FLTAs during the week of July 10th. The FLTAs left for the USA during the following few weeks, attended orientations programs at different universities across the country, and began their teaching duties in late August.
FY2017 Moroccan Students: July 5 MACECE organized an allday pre-departure orientation (PDO) on July 5th for the 22 Moroccan Fulbright students headed to the USA in July and August. The group represented two Fulbright programs, the Study Grant and Joint Supervision. The 12 masters students under the Study Grant program go for two years. The 10 Moroccan Ph.D. students will spend one year of research under the guidance of their American co-advisor through the Joint Supervision program.
Distinguished Awards in Teaching: July 18 The PDO for the three 2017 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching (DA) grantees was coordinated by Hanane Chahidi, 2016 DA alum, who shared her experiences with the outbound grantees. The fall semester program takes place at Indiana University.
International Leaders in Education Program (ILEP): November 13 Six ILEP teachers gathered at the Commission to learn about the journey to the three U.S. universities where they will spend the Spring 2018 semester learning innovative teaching methods and experiencing teaching in American classrooms. 2016 ILEP veteran Rachid El Machehouri guided them through the steps ahead. Since the beginning of the ILEP Program in 2007, 70 Moroccan teachers have been to the USA and come back as ILEP alumni. We say “besslama” to ILEP, as the program will merge with the DA to become the “Distinguished Award in Teaching for International Teachers” (DAI)as of January 2019.
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Moroccan Fulbright Grantees 2017-2018 Fulbright Study Grant Program
Zineb Askaoui, a native of Rabat, is a graduate of the National Institute of the Sciences of Archaeology and Heritage (INSAP) and is in the Masters program in archaeology at CUNY Graduate Center in New York.
Dalal Azzouzi is an EMI (Ecole Mohammedia d'Ingénieurs), a native of Al Hoceima, and is at Indiana University for an MA in Public Policy/International Development.
Meryem Belkadi is graduate of ENA, the Ecole Nationale d'Architecture, and is pursuing her Masters in Architecture at the University of Cincinnati. Meryem is from Rabat.
Sara Boutata is a graduate of ENA, the Ecole Nationale d'Architecture, in Rabat. Sara is a native of Rabat and is at Cornell University for her Masters in Architecture.
El Mahdi El Boukhari, from Marrakech, is a graduate of Al Akhawayn University and is at Arizona State for his Masters in Health Care Management.
Houssam El Wafi is a graduate of EMI, Ecole Mohammedia d'Ingénieurs, and is a native of Marrakech. Houssam is working on his M.S. in Energy Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston.
Mohamed Hanine, a native of Kelaat Mgouna, received his engineering degree from EMI, Ecole Mohammedia d'Ingénieurs, and is now at Missouri University of Science and Technology for an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering. Mohamed is this year’s Chevron scholar.
Mohamed Hamza Khaouti is a graduate of the Faculté des Sciences Juridiques Économiques et Sociales at University Cadi Ayyad in Marrakech. Mohamed attends Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, where he is working on his Masters in International Organizational Leadership.
Oussama Mokssit, from Azrou, is an Al Akhawayn graduate, studying at the University of Houston for an M.A. in Applied Economics.
Sawsane Ouchtal graduated from Al Akhawayn and is now in the Department of Computer Science at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago for her M.S. degree. Sawsane is a native of Rabat.
Itto Outini, a native of Boulman (Fes), is a 2016 graduate of the Faculty of Educational Sciences in Rabat. Itto is at the University of Arkansas for her Masters in Journalism.
Malak Souissi from Casablanca is a graduate of ISEM, the Institut Supérieur d'Etudes Maritimes, and is in the Masters program at the University of New Haven, Connecticut, in Mechanical and Marine Engineering.
Each year, MACECE awards merit-based scholarships for M.A programs in the USA. Scholarships cover all expenses and are offered for all fields except medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry.
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U.S. Grantees: Farewell and Welcome
Farewell The amazing group of 2016-2017 American English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) traveled to Timnay for their End of Service Workshop at the end of June. Do you know where Timnay is? Neither did they until we got there at the end of a long day’s trip from Rabat! The ETAs enjoyed 4 days of reflection, hiking, and swimming while visiting the Middle Atlas. The workshop began with a stop at Al Akhawayn University, where everyone was in awe of the beautiful library on the AUI campus. The 12 university ETAs taught hundreds of grateful university students around the country: at Abdelmalik Essaadi in Tangier and Tetouan-Martil, Moulay Ismail in Meknes, Ibn Tobail in Kenitra, at the Ecole des Sciences de l’Information (ESI) and at Ecole Nationale Supérieur (ENS) Rabat, at the Faculté des Juridiques Economique et Sociales Ain Chok and at Ben M'sik in Casablanca, Chouaib Doukkali in El Jadida, and Ibn Zohr in Agadir.
Welcome MACECE welcomed the 2017-2018 cohort of American Fulbrighters during several days of orientation in early September. The new group includes 11 Student Researchers, 12 English Teaching Assistants, and 5 U.S. university professors. Orientation at the Commission was followed by a weekend in Meknès and a tour of Volubilis.
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U.S. Fulbright Grantees 2017-2018 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Program (ETA) Each year, recent American university graduates are selected to teach English in Moroccan public universities and graduate institutions.
Hodna Nuernberg Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) Rabat
Magdalene Castro University Moulay Ismail Meknès
Natalie Sullivan University Ibn Zohr Agadir
Nicole Castillo University Abdelmalik Es-Saadi Tetouan
Tara Das University Hassan II Casablanca
David Rodgers University Moulay Ismail Meknès
Kyle Welch University Abdelmalik Es-Saadi Tetouan
Devyn Greenberg Ecole Nationale d’Architecture Rabat
Kellie Quinn University Hassan II Casablanca
Alexander Kochenburger University Ibn Zohr Agadir
Tiffany Murphy University Chouaib Doukkali El Jadida
Morgan Kincade University Chouaib Doukkali El Jadida
Fulbright Student Research Grant Each year, young Americans come to undertake a research project of their own design. Student researchers may also qualify for the Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA), which allows them to study Arabic for up to six months prior to the start of their research. Here are the 2017-2018 Students with their research topics:
Mohammad Zia Energy - Public Policy & Institutional Frameworks to Encourage Solar Energy Uptake in Morocco
Tina Barouti Art/Arch - The National Institute of Fine Arts in Tetouan & Morocco's Culture Industry
David Balgley Sociology -Rural Development: Privatization of collective land in the Gharb
Sarah Schwartz Linguistics - Language & Identity: Verbal Art in Morocco
Tasnim El Boute Agro/Gender - Women Farm Workers in Moroccan Agriculture Elizabeth Matsushita History -: Making Modernity & Identity in Arab & N. African Music
Alice Taylor Catanzaro Islamic Studies - Religious Authority at Sites of Islamic Learning in Rabat
Irene Jiang Art/Film - Children of the Tent: Circus & Identity in Morocco
Cynthia Magallanes-Gonzales Sociology - Sub-Saharan Ethnic Enclaves & Integration
Nisreen Malley PolySci - The Deconstruction of Islamist Economic Theories & Policies
Erin Gould Hikayat & Revival - Youth & Hikayat Performance in Marrakech
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program U.S. university professors apply to teach at Moroccan universities or conduct research or a combination of both.. We have five professors with us this year:
Kamal ElBissati Biology: Toxoplasmosis in Morocco: Parasite genetics & manifestations at birth
Peter Guth Teaching- Earth Science and Computer Mapping, University Mohammed V
Zakia Salime Sociology: When Women Contest Land Privatization: Soulaliyyates in Morocco
Jonathan Wyrtzen Sociology: Reimagining Political Space: The Making of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
Jocelyn Hendrickson History/Religion: Pilgrimage on Periphery: Performance & restrictions on the Hajj in Medieval Islamic West
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MEET THE NEW MOROCCAN FULBRIGHTERS
DELIVERING YOUR DOSE OF BUZZ STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE
FY2018 STUDY GRANT NOMINEES: OCTOBER 9 The 8 nominees and 5 alternates selected in September came to an all-day session at the Commission to meet with Washington-based AMIDEAST Program Officer Emmanuel Pimentel and the MACECE staff to learn about the process ahead of them as they apply for universities during their year of nomination. This year’s nominees represent a broad spectrum of disciplines ranging from psychology to political science to hydrology and electrical engineering. The process leads to final Fulbright Scholarship Board approval in the spring of 2018, the results of their university applications in April, and departures in the summer of 2018 for two years of study at their American institutions. MEET THE NEW
AndMOROCCAN THE MOROCCAN FULBRIGHT ALUMNI FULBRIGHTERS
Fulbright Chevron student alumnus Hamza Mansouri holds his diploma from Texas A&M University, Emanuel Emmanuel Pimentel, Amideast Program officer, and Dr. Miller joined him
FULBRIGHT RE-ENTRY WORKSHOP: OCTOBER 20 MACECE held a Reentry Workshop for recently returned Fulbright Alumni on October 20th. 25 Fulbrighters representing six of the seven programs MACECE offers Moroccans reflected on their academic and cultural experiences in the USA and talked about the impact of their Fulbright journey on their personal and professional lives. The Moroccan Fulbright Alumni Association was present at the event to encourage the alumni to join the MFAA. Go Fulbright Alumni!!
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What Fulbrighters Do A U G U S TJO 2 2 ,DONYO'S 2019 ABBY
PROJECT: AQUACULTURE IN MEKNES "I had the wonderful opportunity during my Fulbright Student Research grant to work with the community of El Hajeb on a small-scale aquaculture project. I partnered with Professor Abdelkader Ait El Mekki of Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture (ENA) and he was instrumental to
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Abby Jo Donyo Cornell University Student Researcher 2016-2017Â
the project's success. Together, we visited 15 farms in the Meknes-Fès region to research project constraints and develop interest in the idea. After months of field visits, our first project site was chosen in Ain Bitit. With the generous support of our project participants, we transferred 100 baby Nile tilapia fish to the family's irrigation basin. The irrigation basin methodology is innovative: it prevents fish from becoming invasive in other water systems, closes the "waste loop," transports nutrient-rich water to crops, and all this at no extra cost. We fed the fish fruit peels, stale bread, and other kitchen wastes. After four months, the fish grew from 10 centimeters to 30 centimeters and they even had babies of their own. Now, in June 2017, at the end of my grant, we have 3 project sites, over 800 fish, and the Ministry of Agriculture has promised to expand it to 10 more fully-funded sites. It has been an honor to work with the project
"Thank you Fulbright for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and all the help you provided"
participants, their families, ENA, and the Centre Nationale d'Hydrobiologie et Pisciculture. Thank you Fulbright for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and all the help you provided throughout the process. " Abby Jo, June 2017
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Up Close with the Fulbrighters Mohamed Hamza Khaouti 2017-2019 Masters in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership Saint Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa
Fulbright was a dream that came true! I had high expectations for this experience and I am definitely not disappointed. It's been only a few months since I started my program, but I can testify that it's been a life-changing experience already. The first week alone set the tone for this journey and made it an unforgettable one from the very beginning. Being a strong believer in the power that individuals possess in shaping the world around them, I was amazed at how many great minds were present at the Fulbright Orientation week. I met grantees from all over the globe, and was truly inspired by their stories, potential, and willpower to bring about change and make this world a better place. Meeting these folks made my desire and urge for success grow stronger. Once at my university, adapting to a new life style, finding my way through the rigors of the program, and achieving academic excellence in an atmosphere designed to thrive are just some of the good things that come with being a Fulbrighter. Besides academics, living on a diverse campus is a true blessing. With so many activities and events going on, you definitely get caught up in the moment. I am also an avid traveler who loves exploring new places and cultures. Fulbright has made this possible as I’m able to explore the country, travel around, meet new people, and discover new cultures.
Laila Lebbar 2011-2013 New York University Masters of Arts, Music Business, Education and Human Development
Of course, it’s a life changing experience. My Fulbright years have made me see the world through different lenses, meet incredible people, and become the passionate entrepreneur that I am today. My kids were born while I was a student in NYC, so this experience will sure stay with our family for a lifetime!
Marcie Stutzman 2017 U.S. Fulbright Distinguished Award In Teaching
I am the grateful recipient of a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching and spent 4 and a half months in Morocco from February to June 2017. I took classes at Mohammed V University in Rabat, visited schools in various parts of the country to observe how French and English are taught as a second language, and traveled to meet Moroccans and learn what I could about their educational system and culture.Â
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Up Close with the Fulbrighters Abdelaziz Lahmar 2016-2017 Fulbright Hubert Humphrey Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee
The Humphrey year has been an unforgettable journey that has prepared me for the future, whatever it may hold. It has involved some of the most memorable and influential moments of my life. I am filled with excitement and anticipation as the next stage in my life begins. I am now ready to embrace the future with additional skill sets and knowledge and most importantly, a great experience to share!
Marouane Smaili 2016-2018 MS in Management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Worcester, Massachusetts
My thirst for knowledge motivated me to apply for the Fulbright program. This year, I am grateful to have been offered a Fulbright grant to go to the U.S. and pursue a Master's degree in Management at WPI. I am enjoying graduate school at WPI and am exploring various concepts that were once vague to me at school. My host institution provides a thriving environment full of learning and fun. I have attended cultural events that student organizations plan on a regular basis, and have had the opportunity to meet wonderful young leaders from all over the world. I am taking three classes this semester and I am enjoying both the group projects and the level of interactive activities we do in class. Learning in this way has also helped me build new connections with interesting American and international students, which has been great.
Alejandro Gonzalez-Cavillo 2016-2017 U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, ESI, INPT Rabat Saying goodbye is never easy and neither. I am beyond grateful to the Fulbright program that gave me the opportunity to learn so much about this beautiful country, and even more grateful to all the wonderful people I met here. I have a new family in all of you and I’ll miss you all bezzaf!
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Itto Outini: an Inspiring Story Itto Outini lost her sight and began living in the streets of Morocco at the age of 17, but that didn't stop her from pursuing her dream.
"When I told my teacher that I want to study Journalism, he said you are blind and you can't make it"
A story of persistence A journey that started from the streets of Meknès and continued at the University of Arkansas in the U.S. Itto Outini lost her sight and began living in the streets in the age of 17, but she didn’t let it stop her from pursuing her dreams. After struggling for years, Itto graduated from the Faculty of Educational Sciences (FSE) of University Mohammed V in Rabat and won a Fulbright grant to study journalism at the University of Arkansas. Itto hopes to change the world through journalism.
Itto wishes MACECE a Happy 35th Anniversary in front of the statue of Senator Fulbright on the UARK campus
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Fulbright is Out and About in Morocco!
Mapping the Tamgrut Manuscripts On February 17, Fulbright alum Matthew Schumann (ETA, 2010-11, Fès) gave a lecture at MACECE on his doctoral research, "Mapping the Tamgrut Manuscripts: Knowledge Transmission at the Nasiriyya Zawiya (11th-12th/17th-18th Centuries)." Matthew is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, and his deep knowledge of classical Arabic and interest in the nature of Sufism was clearly evident in his presentation.
Ibn Battuta: A 14th-Century Scholar, Sufi, and Job Seeker On April 7th, MACECE hosted Ross Dunn for a lecture, "Ibn Battuta: A 14th-Century Scholar, Sufi, and Job Seeker." Ross recounted Ibn Battuta’s remarkable career, interpreting it within the cultural and social contexts of Islamic society and giving the audience both a biography of an extraordinary personality and a study in the hemispheric dimensions of human interchange in medieval times. Ross is Professor Emeritus of History at San Diego State University and Associate Director of the National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA.
First Moroccan Humphrey came to visit! We welcomed Abdou Filali-Ansary, the first Moroccan a Fulbright Humphrey Fellow (1980), to the Commission on December 20, Abdou Filali’s Humphrey took him to Boston University for the academic year 1980-81. Back home in Morocco, he taught at University Mohammed V. He also holds the distinction of being the Founding Director of the King Abdul Aziz Foundation in Casablanca. In 2012-13 he was a Visiting Professor in Interfaith Studies at the University of Oxford’s Research Centre in the Humanities. The Commission cherishes its Humphrey Fellows, who spend the fall semester in professional development, in a university setting followed by the spring semester working in their field at a point in their mid-career.
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OUTREACH 2017 was another active academic year for our outreach team with visits and presentations at universities and high schools all around Morocco. The Commission tries to reach students in all regions of the country, and 2018 will see us again in different parts of the Kingdom.
Orientation Carrefour During the first half of 2018 MACECE is taking part in Orientation Carrefour for the third year running. The “Carrefour” is a traveling student fair, attracting hundreds of students on the weekends. Carrefour is a group endeavor, often involving the Director, Deputy Baalou, and Alumni & Outreach Coordinator Laalioui. In 2018 we will be visiting these cities:
Tangier
Tétouan
Meknès
Agadir
16-17 February 2018
23-25 February 2018
30-31 March 2018
20-22 April 2018
Centre Culturel Ahmed Boukmakh
Lycée Del Pilar
Complexe Culturel des Habous
Hôtel Palais des Roses
WEBINARS Digital technology allows MACECE to hold webinars with students we might not otherwise get a chance to visit in person. In 2017, we held webinars with students in Oujda, Agadir, and Beni Mellal. So if you are interested in arranging a virtual meeting to know more about the Fulbright Program, just let us know. We are looking forward to speaking with you!
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FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
#Fulbright Morocco e MAC ECE broa dene d its effo rts with onlinnew com mun ities to shar e its acti vitie s andugho uts with part ners , alum ni, and frien ds thro7, Mor occo and all over the worl d. In 201 occo ) MAC ECE ’s Face boo k page (Ful brig ht Morpost s topp ed 14,0 00 follo wers . Man y of our k reac h mor e than 900 0 of eage r Face boo our frien ds. Don ’t forg et – you can chec k out os pict ures on Inst agra m and MAC ECE ’s vide on You Tube .
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Staff
James Miller Executive Secretary jamesmillerfulbright@gmail.com
Laila Meftah Moroccan Student & Scholar Program Officer lailafulbright@gmail.com
Seddik Zniber Financial Controller s.zniber@macece.ma
Khalid Baalou Deputy Executive Secretary Specialist and Scholar in Residence Program Officer khalidbaaloufulbright@gmail.com
Ahlam Daoudi Program Officer Teacher Grants & Social Media ahlamfulbright@gmail.com
Moustapha LAALIOUI Alumni/Outreach Coordinator laaliouifulbright@gmail.com
Mustapha Ait Ouadi Mouna Louzguani Logistics & Information Technology Officer Financial Administrator mustaphafulbright@gmail.com mounafulbright@gmail.com
Hafsa Kanoubi Administrative Assistant Humphrey Program Officer hafsafulbright@gmail.com
Mohamed Ait Ouaddi Receptionist / Librarian mohammedfulbright@gmail.com
Said Benamare Driver s.benamer@macece.ma
Sarah Robyn Program Officer U.S. Students and Faculty robynfulbright@gmail.com
El Hassan Taliby Night Guard and Newspaper Archivist talibyhassan@gmail.com
Two new people joined the MACECE team in 2017. Program Officer Sarah Robyn takes care of the U.S. Students and Scholars, while Coordinator Moustapha Laalioui works with alumni and organizes MACECE’s outreach programs. And we would like to express our thanks to Maria Hanzazi, who served as U.S. Program Officer from late 2015 until the summer of 2017.
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Grants
Who are we? The Moroccan American Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (MACECE) is a binational body created in 1982 to promote the spirit of traditional friendship between the people of Morocco and the United States through academic exchange programs. MACECE awards highly competitive grants to citizens of both countries to teach, study, and conduct research in each others’ countries.
MACECE Selection Process MACECE awards grants to Moroccan students, scholars, teachers, and professionals on a competitive basis. Scholarships cover round-trip airfare, tuition, textbooks, maintenance stipend, and insurance. Applicants are interviewed by a selection committee consisting of Moroccan and American experts. Applying for most of our grants necessitates sitting for one or all of the following tests: TOEFL (students and teachers), GRE (MA students) and GMAT (MBA applicants).
Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of the following criteria:
Quality of the research proposal
Ambassadorial skills
Leadership skills
Academic record
Our Programs Fulbright Study Grant Each year, MACECE awards merit-based scholarships for M.A. programs in the USA. Scholarships cover all expenses and are offered for all fields except medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. Successful candidates must have excellent academic records. Complete applications should be submitted by mid-June and successful nominees depart the summer of the following year. MBA students must present at least one year of relevant professional experience at the time of application.
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Grants Fulbright Joint-Supervision Grant Students registered in a Moroccan doctoral program may apply for this grant to undertake Ph.D. dissertation research and supervision at an American university with an American co-advisor for a 12-month period, which may be divided into 2 trips. Applicants should establish ties with an American professor willing to serve as co-supervisor for the dissertation. The deadline for receipt of applications is mid-December for grants beginning the following academic year.
Post-Doctoral Grant Moroccan professors or researchers with a doctoral degree or equivalent may apply to carry out research for two to six months at an American university or research center. Grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievements and the soundness and relevance of the research project. The minimum length of the grant is two months. Deadline for submission of completed applications is mid-November for grants that begin no earlier than the summer of the following year.
Fulbright Specialist Program The Specialist Program provides grants for qualified U.S. faculty and professionals to pursue collaborative two-to-six-week projects with host institutions in Morocco. Participants conduct seminars and workshops and become organize teacher, and faculty and curriculum development.
Fulbright  Humphrey Fellowship Program The Humphrey Program selects accomplished professionals to go to United States at a midpoint in their careers for a year of graduate-level academic course work and professional development activities. Fellowships are granted competitively to candidates with a commitment to public service in either the public or private sector, Fellows are selected fortheir potential for leadership and record of excellence. The deadline for applications is September 1st of each year.
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Teacher Programs
Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Program (FLTA)Â Provides public & private school teachers with a nine-month opportunity to teach Arabic and further cultural understanding at an American university, develop new teaching skills, and improve their English proficiency. Participants take two courses per semester at their American university in addition to their teaching duties.
Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers (DAI) The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers (DAI) is a five-month professional development program which allows teachers to pursue individual or group projects. The program includes academic coursework, instructional technology seminars, and leadership training. The program is also an opportunity for participants to observe, co-teach, and share their expertise in American elementary and secondary schools.
Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) The program provides public school teachers with a ten-month opportunity to teach Arabic as a foreign language to primary and secondary school students in the U.S., share Moroccan culture, and improve their English proficiency. The program is also a chance to learn more about U.S. teaching methodologies, culture, and society. TCLP also provides small grants to program alumni and their schools to implement projects that benefit their classrooms, schools and communities.
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2017 was a good Fulbright year
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30 years ago...
MACECE 7, rue d’Agadir Rabat 10010 – Morocco Tél: 0537- 760-468/0537 - 764-109 Fax: 0537 - 768-852 www.macece.org
Fulbright Morocco