Clockwise, from far left: Tatjana Trebec (Slovenia), Leila Bradaschia, Ahamed Lebbe Mohamed Zarudeen (Sri Lanka), Denise de Menezes Neddermeyer (Brazil), Amal Alachkar (Syria), Ivana Borosic (Croatia), Diyaporn Wisamitanan (Thailand), Alejandra Santoyo Mora (Mexico), Jane Reese, Talat Azhar, Khyati Bhatt (India), Vanhkham Souligna (Laos), Rashid Turay (Sierra Leone), Diana Pustula (Poland)
Humphrey Fellows Enjoy Varied Activities as Well as New Office Space The 2011-2012 Penn State Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows have participated in many activities on campus and around the community—and have moved into new office space.
coordinator of the program, Talat Azhar, associate director, and Leila Bradaschia, director of international programs. The new space is twice the size of the Fellows’ previous location.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program brings accomplished midcareer professionals from designated countries around the world to selected universities in the United States for one year of a non-degree graduate study, professional training, and work-related experience.
The Humphrey Fellows did not have much time to completely enjoy their new surroundings, though, as they were very busy elsewhere, immersing themselves in dozens of professional, academic, and cultural programs.
This past academic year Penn State, which has hosted Fellows every year since the program was established in 1978, welcomed 11 professionals into the program. During the fall semester the College of Education’s Office of International Programs unveiled a newly constructed office space for the Humphrey Fellows on the first floor of Chambers Building. A former classroom has been transformed into a luxury office suite. The facility is equipped with ten computer workstations for the Fellows; and office space for Jane Reese, assistant
They kicked off the 2012 spring semester by participating in the University-sponsored “Day of Service” to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. They spent the day at the Skills Adult Center with mentally disabled adults, doing arts and crafts. This event is one the staff said the Fellows would never forget, as there is no such care in most of their home countries. Inspired by this experience, several of the Fellows ventured off to do individual volunteer work around the community. Bradaschia said, “The active involvement of Humphrey Fellows in
our community allows them to meet new people, learn about the Centre Region, and gain a better understanding of the United States.” The Fellows also took several tours of different learning facilities—such as the Bald Eagle Area High School—where they were able to examine features as basic as building infrastructure to more complex features like student–teacher interaction and technology, allowing them to return home with new ideas they can refine and implement. During one busy day in Harrisburg, the Fellows made a site visit to Harrisburg Area Community College, took a tour of the state capitol, held a meeting with members of the state House of Representatives, and briefly met Governor Tom Corbett. Other activities during the year included visits to Penn College in Williamsport and the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., as well as participation in several conferences and enhancement workshops.
— Wildamie Ceus
Penn State Education
15