U.S. Fulbright awardees from 43 universities across the country converged on Wayne State University for their Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) in preparation for travel to countries in the Middle East and North Africa to begin their Fulbright placements this summer.

WSU, which previously hosted other Fulbright Program activities, applied and was selected to host the weeklong PDO by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and implementing partner, the Institute of International Education (IIE). The PDO includes sessions by DOS and IIE program staff and alumni about program requirements, opportunities and expectations, as well as a cultural orientation to the region of the world in which awardees will be studying and conducting research.

The group includes Fulbright scholars, student study/researchers and English teaching assistants going to Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and the West Bank. During the PDO, participants heard about the experiences of Fulbright U.S. Program alumni who conducted their fellowships in the region.

"We're so proud to have been selected to host Pre-Departure Orientation," says Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs. "The expertise of our faculty, our location in the heart of Detroit, the diversity of our community - including having one of the largest and most well-established Middle Eastern communities in the country - provide a great setting for the Fulbright awardees to have their PDO.

"We also hope that, through the interactions with the awardees and Department of State staff, more of our students and faculty learn about all the opportunities Fulbright offers and will be encouraged to apply to the program."

A welcome dinner featured Kit Bartels, the U.S. Department of State's chief of the Fulbright Program for the Middle East and North Africa region, and Marquita Chamblee, WSU's Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and WSU's chief diversity officer.

Keynoting the event was Anan Ameri, founding director of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, which the awardees visited for a private discussion and dinner with ACCESS , the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the country. Ameri holds a PhD in sociology from WSU. Awardees also attended sessions on personal safety and security, the role of Fulbright in U.S. foreign policy, teaching effectively in the host country, and best practices for ensuring a successful Fulbright program experience.

#Fulbright

Led by the United States government in partnership with 160 other countries, and administered by 49 binational commissions and by U.S. embassies around the world, Fulbright offers academic exchange programs for accomplished students, scholars, artists, teachers, and professionals of all backgrounds - current and emerging leaders who are committed to fostering international understanding. Over the past 73 years, Fulbright has provided more than 390,000 people worldwide with the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to complex international challenges.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, please visit eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at eca-press@state.gov.

The Office of International Programs leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us @WayneOIP.