Student awarded spot in UK Fulbright Summer Institute

Thomas Walters, a junior at Grand Valley majoring in social studies and education, has received a spot in the Fulbright Summer Institute Program to study at Durham University in the United Kingdom.

During the four-week summer program, Walters will participate in a major archaeological project during which he will excavate the Roman fort and town at Binchester. He will also study the archaeology of the military frontier of Roman Britain, as well as the history of Northern England.

“I think the primary value that I can gain from studying abroad is that my overall understanding will be broadened,” Walters said. “I may read or hear about the differences amongst cultures, or I may learn about the archeology or history of a region, but I know I will gain a fuller, deeper understanding of a certain part of the world – in this case Northern England – when I am able to experience it first hand.”

The U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship program offering awards and summer programs for study or research in any field, at any accredited U.S. or U.K. university. The commission is part of the Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program is design to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people from countries around the world.

Students interested in applying for the Fulbright Summer Institute program are encouraged to contact the Frederik Meijer Office of Fellowships at (616) 331-2699 or visit www.gvsu.edu/fellowships for more information.