College of Education and Human Development

See more news from the...

Congratulations to CEHD's 2012 Fulbright Recipients

May 2, 2012

The College of Education and Human Development congratulates its four recipients of a 2012 Fulbright scholarship — Mona Anita Olsen, Anastasia Samaras, Frederic Bemak, and Vicky Spencer.

Olsen, a CEHD doctoral student, received a 2012 Fulbright U.S. Student Grant. Bemak, Samaras, and Spencer each were awarded a 2012 Fulbright Specialist Program grant.

  • Mona Anita Olsen was awarded a 2012 Fulbright Study/Research Grant to Norway. Olsen is a PhD candidate specializing in entrepreneurship education. She is the founder of iMADdu ("I Make a Difference, Do You?"), an educational nonprofit that provides mentoring and apprenticeship opportunities to aspiring student entrepreneurs and also serves as the assistant director of Mason's Small Business Development Center.

    Her Fulbright project will focus on the fostering of female entrepreneurship in the Norwegian system of education and training for professionals in the hospitality and tourism industries. Upon returning from her Fulbright year, Olsen will complete her PhD dissertation and pursue an academic career focused on entrepreneurship education and apprenticeship models in the U.S. and Norway.
  • Frederic Bemak is a professor in the counseling and development program and founder and director of the Diversity Research and Action Center. He received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to travel to Turkey this month to give presentations, conduct workshops, and provide consultation at Anadolu University in Turkey. He has also been invited to speak at an international conference in Cyprus and will give presentations at Hacettepe University and Gazi University.
  • Anastasia Samaras is professor of education and an international scholar in the self-study research methodology. She received a Fulbright Specialist Program award and traveled in March to the University of Ioannina, Greece, where she presented her self-study scholarship to teacher education students and faculty. The award is a serial project, with a return visit to her host university in October 2012 when she will continue with the special education self-study teacher research project she launched with her host on her first visit.
  • Vicky Spencer is an associate professor of special education. She received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to Barbados. In February, she was hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, the Ministry of Education Office, the University of the West Indies, and the Barbados Association of Reading, all of whom worked to coordinate the work she completed in the public and private schools, colleges, and universities of the island nation.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The competitive, merit-based grants for students, scholars, teachers, and professionals are awarded to individuals of achievement and potential, and are designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

For additional information: