It is open to educators and administratos with responsabilities for curriculum development in fields related to humanities, languages and area studies. These seminars are designed to provide broad and introductory cultural orientation to a particular country and to enhance the curriculum of participants through short-term study  and travel abroad. This group will spend a month in Chile and will travel the country on field trips  as well as assits to seminars and interviews with Chilean academics that will broadern their knowledge about: The construction of Chilean Identity: Reforms in Education and in Socioeconomic and Political Contexts.

We asked the participants what motivated them to apply to this programa n theses are their reasons:

Jo Zanice Bond, Tuskegee University  : My motivation for applying was threefold. First joining US Scholars from various disciplines and parts of the country to examine/study/ understand Chilean identity was very exiting. Second, being in Chile-being able to have first hand / hands on apportunities in Chle was extremely appealing as networking opportunities/relationship building/collaboration possibilities would be increased. Third, travelling/studying in the Fulnright Program would ensure safety/reliability and sustained program/history dedicated to international educational opportunities. I expected this program to help me incorpórate more literatura from Chile into my classroom. Expected to spark rsearch interests/opportunities especially relative to non-violent social movements and posible opportunities to develo a study abroad for my Tuskegee Univ  students.

Alicia Cook, Colorado State University: I have very limited experience in Latin America in contrast to other regions of the world. I teach a course in Children and Youth in Global Context and want to strengthen the coverage of LA culture. Chile is a very dynamic society and is an interesting country to highlight in my course. I am particularly interested in in changes in the educational system and the impact on youth. Also I will be focusing my curriculum project on contemporary  lifestyles of Chilean children and youth, and factors contributing to recent changes.

Jennifer Duncan , Glendale Community College, Glendale , Arizona: I´ve Heard the name “Fulbright” ever since I was an undergraduate. Perhaps there was a time I would  have been eligible to apply to a program as a US Fulbright Scholar, but I wasn´t aware of the various programs- they were not widely encouraged at my undergrad university, nor at my graduate colleges. But when I became a faculty member at  Glendale Community College, my former department Chair and her husband … often spoke of the Fulbright programs, hung posters around our school and promoted them. As a journalist instructor, I am always trying to promote media literacy, stir an interest in communications and international relations, and expose my students to new cultures and new ways of thinking. Out of curiosity, one day I decides to explore de Fulbrigt website. As a person who loves international travel … I became very motivated in finding a Fulbright opportunity and I very much hoped, even though I am only a community college faculty member without a PhD- that I would be eligible for something. I received an announcement in my e-mail from our college district´s international studies abroad office about this Seminar. I read every Word in the announcement and then I read it over again….Long story short, I created a curriculum Project idea and here I am. I can´t wait to take back and share with my collegues and students all these cultural experiences….

Paul Edleman, Aauk Valley Community College: The largest minority group served at my institution is the Hispanic population. As a political science and Communication Professor I have no experience in Latin America. One goa lis to gain personal experience with Latin American culture, history, language,etc… And second to gain information and to research comparatial Human Rights Eduation. I have had an opportunity to study Himan Roghts Education in the Middle Easy and South East Asia. I wanted to explore de Latin American experience.

David Faught, Angelo State University: I am a scholar of Chilean poetry, in particular that produced under the regime ( Lihn Zurita, Berenguer, Iván Luis Martínez); however, I have never been to Chile. So this is my primary motivation. Equal to this is mi desire to continue to travel and gather experiences abroad across Latin America to take back to my students. I am so grateful to be here and for all your work putting this worderful rpogram together

Jennifer Flamboe, Alverno College:  Aside from the attraction of the location in Santiago, Chile, which I had never been to previously, the content of the seminar was of great interest  to me, primarily the focus on higher education reform. My institution has a sister school in Temuco, at the Universidad Católica, so I´m motivated to learn more about Chilean history and culture to strengthen my understanding and, ideally ,the ties betwen our universities, so as to develop and improve Exchange for our students. Some of my colleagues have travelled to the región in recent years as consultants  for curricular reform- maybe this will open doors  for us to work with other Chilean institutions as well.

Chevelle Hall, Bethune-Cookman University: My motivation was to learn as much as I can ablout educational systmen in Chie. I am an educational justioce advocate and I am interested to know about education reform in Chile. Especially  with marginalized groups: lower income, native groups, people with disabilities,etc.

Lauren Johnson, University of North Georgia: A colleague at UNG participated in this program last year in Senegal and greatly enjoyed the experience. Once I learned that the Seminar would take place in Chile this year, I was excited to apply and learn more about the culture, educaion system and demographic shifts in the country. As an anthropologist, my research focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean. Y love to explore opportunities in the región, and Chiler is a unique place to be able to visit and study. As a  teacher educator, I´m exited to focus on the education system and its relationship to the broader Chilean Society.

Su-Mi Lee, University of Hawaii at Hilo: I wanted to learn about Chile, about which I did not know much before. I knew about the Pinochet regime and the Pope´s mediation for the Chile-Argentina dispute in the 1960´s, but that was it. In particular, when I learned about the program description that Chile had been going through social and educational reforms that were iniciated by civilian groups (students) I wanted to learn more about how this movement would affect the political process and decisión. Personally,  I am fascinated by different processes and changes each country experiences as it develops economically and politically.

Michael Miller, Bronx Community College of The City University of New York:  Interest in Chilean Educational reform and opportunities for comparative analysis to/with U.S. educational sector. Also the opportunity to establish contacts in Chilean libraries ( academic and community colleges, CFTs and IPS) leading to profesional exchange (Fulbright Senio Specialist).

Max Montesino, Purdue University Fort Wayne: My motivation was to learn aabout how much of a difference/ coincidence exists between the managerial culture of Chile , other Latin American countries and the USA. To understand better the Chilean culture and “ para expresaer mi amor por Chile”.

Micaela Rubalcava, Truckee Meadows Community College: A Young colleague from Political Science was applying because her chair had told her about the seminar. Ske asked me for a letter of suport. That prompted me to apply. We wrote letters for eachother. I was curious because Chile is a spanish speaking country and I have been experimenting with integrating art across the curriculum. We are an hispanic serving campus and I know that the Chilean art is vibrant. I am grateful that I will be able to innovate and deepen the art design I use in my teacher preparation program with inspiration and understanding of Chilean culture and education.

Carol Schmid, Guilford Tecnical Community Colege: I am very involved in global international education at my college. I am a faculty memeber in the Distinguished Global Program for students at GTCC. Currently we don not have any clases in Chile. I want to integrate the information from the F-H in my clases. As a researcher I am also interested in the expansion of higher education in the US and Chile and the benefits and drawbacks.

Vivian Shannon-Ramsey, Salisbury University: As a faculty member and a Director of a studentprogram, I wanted to learn more about education reform in South America. A lot of the satudents I serve are from Latin American countries. Having more exposure to the structiure of higher education in otrher countries, provides me more insight and understanding of student development and helps me improve strategies on what I teach in the classroom and how to support underepresented students in higher education. In addition I was motivated by the ability to engage with faculty from all over the US and in Chile.

Michelle Tovar, Holocaust Museum Houston: I was motivated to apply because of my interest in Chile´s history, education reform and the human rights activism, directly related to memory and the indigenous proups of Chile. The Fulbright´s prestige and academic importance gave me confidence in posible meetingother scholars interested in the topics and social issues that I´m interested. Research and making connections to collaborate  were of importance for future collaborations and Project building.

Linda Wang:  I´m extremely interested in two areas of this program= education reform and social equity as well as the área of women´s  issues. This is what inspired me to apply to this program. As a human geographer interested in looking at factors contributing to sicial equity through education, this is mighty helpful as a case study of South America. Thanks for the opportunity.