Birkel headed to South Korea and China as

part of Fulbright-Hays Grant Program      

            AMERICUS—In March, Georgia Southwestern State University and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) extended their reach internationally after creating RCI Korea. For five weeks this summer, RCI will expand its intercultural competence even further when Executive Director Rick Birkel, Ph.D., travels to South Korea and China as part of a Fulbright-Hays Grant.

Andrew College in Cuthbert was awarded the $80,100 matching grant from the U. S. Department of Education. Birkel will join five faculty members from Andrew and nine other educators from across the state in South Korea and China from June 10 to July 12. The core of the program will be an intensive series of nearly two dozen lectures, conferences, and field trips in and around Daejeon, South Korea, and Shanghai, China. This academic phase will be followed by visits to major cities including Seoul, Gyeongju, Xian, and Beijing and tours of rural areas, neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, museums, and factories. 

“I am pleased to be participating in this extraordinary opportunity to learn more about Korea and China,” said Birkel. “Issues related to longevity, the rise in chronic illness, and the increased caregiving demands faced by families and society generally are universal issues of concern and this trip will help me prepare the international caregiving curriculum we are currently developing.” 

Fulbright-Hays programs, authorized under the Fulbright-Hays Act, support the internationalization of the nation's educational infrastructure by strengthening area and foreign language expertise among current and prospective U.S. educators. They do this in two ways: by providing critical, advanced overseas study and research opportunities for area and language experts and faculty-in-training; and by offering experiences and resources enabling educators to strengthen their international teaching.

During the program orientation in April, participants were prepared by two experts in Chinese and Korean culture: Penelope Prime, Ph.D., director of the China Research Center and professor of economics at Mercer University; and Tom Dolan, Ph.D., director of the Hallock Lecture Series and professor of political science at Columbus State University, who formerly lived in Seoul, South Korea.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Fulbright-Hays programs are distinct from the Fulbright programs administered by the U.S. Department of State. Eugenia Bryan, GSW assistant professor of English, was part of a Fulbright-Hays Grant in 2009 and Brian Smith, GSW assistant professor of political science, was part of one in 2008. Georgia Southwestern has had two Fulbright Scholars in past years, as well, Marlene Allen, assistant professor of English and Michael Fathi, professor of business.

 - GSW -