PhD Students and the Fulbright: A Q&A with Winners and their Faculty Advisers

OEL: First things first, Alex: why did you decide to apply for a Fulbright?

Alex: I decided to apply for a Fulbright because I identified a notable gap in my current PhD training, and I was looking for a way to effectively fill this gap and expand my expertise. Most PhD programs are designed to provide specialized training in a particular field, thus limiting one's potential knowledge of other equally important fields. As an aspiring health psychologist, I have obtained fantastic training in psychology through Baylor's PhD program; however, I realized the importance and necessity of also obtaining an education in health science. Applying for a Fulbright Award was the appropriate next step in my research career, as it has provided me the opportunity to expand my education by attending one of the top health science programs in the world. Through this program, I am able to learn cutting-edge health intervention techniques that I would not have obtained through my PhD program alone. I am also able to live abroad and immerse myself in a new culture, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

OEL: Patrick, what about you?

Patrick: As I began planning for my dissertation with Dr. deGraffenried, one thing became very clear: to be competitive on the job market as a global historian or European historian I really needed to do archival research outside of the US. Unfortunately, between the pandemic and current US-centric lean to the History graduate program*, extended research outside the US was simply not feasible without external funding. I had several conversations with Dr. Benyousky about the possibility of a Fulbright for dissertation research but that option was not yet a good fit (a 9-month grant was excessive for what seemed likely to be less than two months of research). 

However, when an opportunity to join a Hungary-based international research project that paralleled my dissertation research and sought the digital humanities skills I had honed at Baylor that calculation shifted. Moreover, because the project lead had been a Fulbright Visiting Scholar he encouraged me to apply and offered to host. The Fulbright Award will allow me to fully participate in an international research project, conduct the in-country research I needed, and produce a stronger dissertation. Plus, I will have the invaluable opportunity to significantly improve my facility with the Hungarian language while also experiencing the richness and nuances of a culture with which I hope to have a lifelong connection, both professionally and personally. Not only will this opportunity help me become a better scholar, it will allow me to more effectively translate US and Hungarian cultures to each other which is a personal goal that also happens to align with the Fulbright mission.

OEL: Dr. deGraffenried, as Patrick’s dissertation advisor, what did you see as the advantages to Patrick pursuing this Fulbright Award?

Dr. deGraffenried: The Fulbright program not only facilitates research abroad, but also rich in-country, on-the-ground experiences and relationships. In my opinion, there is nothing that can replace that for a grad student. For Patrick, the opportunity to live immersed in the Hungarian language, to pick up insider cultural cues and expressions, and to build connections with a team of international researchers will be invaluable. These sorts of experiences will help him when working with Hungarians of diasporic communities as well as when reading accounts of Hungarian migrants from the past. Like Patrick said, this will strengthen his study. Lived experience abroad simply cannot be reproduced in a library or archive or office in the U.S. 

Thinking ahead to post-doctoral life, being a Fulbright recipient will open doors for Patrick. Fulbrighters have a kinship of sorts; for example, every major conference has a Fulbright reception at which past awardees network. The line “Fulbright Scholar” on a cv is eye-catching during a job search. In fact, Patrick may very well get offered employment while on his Fulbright, particularly if the team he works with receives long-term funding. The relationships he builds while in Hungary can result in long-term professional contacts and friendships. The Fulbright program calls this “cultural diplomacy” – which it is – but more fundamentally, it is the kind of global community-building that can change lives and benefit the world. We should want this for all of our students. 

OEL: Dr. Ginty, what about you? In a field like yours, I’m guessing there is a cost to losing such a productive a graduate student in your lab. Why did you support Alex’s Fulbright bid?

Dr. Ginty: I echo the magnitude of advantages that Dr. deGraffenried eloquently highlighted above. For Alex in particular, the Fulbright Awarded provided her the opportunity to train and conduct research at one of the top health sciences universities in the world. The training she is receiving at University of Birmingham will diversify the knowledge and skills she has received here at Baylor University. It will also provide her with a network of collaborators at all stages of their career (fellow graduate students; junior faculty; senior faculty). We want our graduate students to develop their own independent line of research by the time they graduate and having training from mentors in different fields provides an exciting opportunity for the graduate student to develop a unique program of research. Obviously, as you allude to, Dean Hogue, losing a graduate student like Alex who is extremely productive and has such a positive presence in the laboratory has implications for the overall output of our research program in the short-term. However, as research mentors we want our students to pursue and engage in opportunities that will allow them to achieve both their personal and professional goals. There are no short-term implications that can outweigh the long-term benefits a Fulbright Award will have for Alex’s future.

OEL: Alex, does that ring true? Are you sensing from your time at Birmingham that there are long-term benefits mounting for your future? And how has the experience been?

Alex: Dr. Ginty's words definitely ring true in my experience, and I am already noticing a monumental impact on my future career. As an advanced PhD student, I am in the unique position of being able to explore my options post graduation, while still in the midst of my Fulbright experience. I have sent my CV to numerous potential postdoctoral mentors, and have already received an overwhelmingly positive response. As Dr. deGraffenried said, the line "Fulbright Scholar" is eye-catching, and has been a hot topic of conversation during my interviews, eliciting both congratulations and follow-up questions from potential employers. In fact, I am only halfway through my Fulbright year and I have already received two potential job offers for when I return. As such, I can confidently say that the long-term benefits of pursuing a Fulbright are immense and invaluable. 

On top of that, the experience itself has been life-changing. I've had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a new country and new field of research, as well as network with fellow graduate students, staff, and faculty at the University of Birmingham. The US-UK Fulbright Commission also plans multiple networking events throughout the year, providing additional opportunities to meet and connect with other Fulbrighters, many of whom I now consider to be my friends, both professionally and personally. As an example, I just got back from an incredible Fulbright event that was hosted in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was a three day optional experience that was packed full of education, cultural exchange, networking, and even sightseeing. While living and working abroad has felt daunting at times, it has challenged me to grow in ways I never expected (e.g., adaptability, self-confidence, autonomy). For that, I am forever grateful. 

OEL: Patrick, I know you haven’t yet begun your Fulbright year, but I’m curious if you’re anticipating similar payoffs. Also, what are some of the things you’re looking forward to as a Fulbright grantee?

Patrick: I absolutely agree and would echo what Alex and Dr. deGraffenried eloquently stated about the scholarly and professional enrichment that comes from this opportunity. The one additional insight I would add is personal growth. Beyond the growth that comes from the new and often uncomfortable, my previous travels abroad have revealed the ways my own cultures have shaped my understanding of the world, which has changed how I understand the world; to extend Martin Lipset, "Those who only know one country, know no country" ...nor do they know themselves. I know my time in Hungary, while expanding me professionally, will also reshape how I understand myself and the world around me.

More concretely, there are several experiences that I am eagerly anticipating.Firstly, I am joining an international team of scholars doing research that closely aligns with my own which will not only allow me to produce a world-class dissertation but also allow me to position myself as a digital humanities practitioner. Moreover, a large part of why I am a historian is that I truly enjoy meeting people and learning their language, culture, and history, which is why the opportunity for a Fulbright was appealing in the first place. That it can also help in launching my career is truly the icing on the cake. As such, I enjoy travel and especially getting to know people, so having time to traverse Hungary and enough language skill to talk with people, whether colleagues on the project or random people I encounter, is an idea that brings me great joy. Similarly, I love eating and have barely been introduced to Hungarian food, so I look forward to trying more and hopefully learning how to prepare some as well. Likewise, I find the beauty of natural and human-made places to be both captivating and informative, it is easy to overlook the role of place in shaping people both individually and culturally. These experiences will be both professionally and personally enriching. And hopefully I can find some time to write a few chapters as well. 

OEL: One final question for all of you: Why should a PhD student apply for a Fulbright, and why should their faculty support them?

Dr. deGraffenried: The advantages of winning of a Fulbright are described above really well. If that’s not enough to be inspiring, I’m not sure what would be. But even the process of applying for a Fulbright – investigating the programs, exploring programs and finding faculty or labs with whom to propose working, making international contacts, researching the proposed country and community, drafting the proposal, interviewing – can be enormously beneficial in providing professional growth and post-graduate opportunities.

Alex: Applying for a Fulbright gives you the experience of working with a different mentor in a new area of research. Not only do you learn new skills, but you also gain access to new professional contacts, who will be able to connect you to the international research community. Even more, you get the opportunity to publish peer-reviewed papers on topics outside of your specific dissertation area, which can broaden your expertise and looks quite impressive on a CV. Finally, it has been said that the surest way to evoke the imagination is to seek out new environments in which you have no experience (from the novel "Iconoclast", by Gregory Berns). Travel opens the mind and reshapes perspective, which can be invaluable to a PhD student who is still developing their unique program of research. 

Patrick: For me it’s less of a question of why and more of when. The benefits are very clear and don’t require much of a pitch, I deeply believe in the transformative power of experiencing different people and cultures through travel abroad. The more pressing questions is actually about the opportunity cost. Graduate school, and PhD programs especially, is a similarly unique experiential learning opportunity, yet it is one of the few activities that is best done quickly. As such, an international experience qua experience is simply not the most prudent idea. For both Alex and myself, the Fulbright Student program allows us to buttress the excellent education we gain here at Baylor, yet there was also a timing component. The project I’m working on is exactly the type of project I would join but it is time sensitive and simply would not be available after I finished my dissertation; however taking nine months likely meant delaying my completion. The unfortunate reality is the longer it takes to finish a dissertation the greater the risk of not completing, hence many advisors, rightfully so, strongly encourage PhD students to focus on finishing their dissertation. One of the many things I appreciate about Dr. deGraffenried is that she too recognized that this was the type of opportunity that was not only highly beneficial but that those benefits warranted the risks of delay. If that hadn’t been the case, I don’t know that either of us would thought this a prudent option, no matter the other benefits. For me the questions are less about benefits and more about timing: “Can this opportunity wait until I’m finished”, “If not, is this the type of opportunity that I will regret not pursuing”, “Does this opportunity holistically advance my scholarly career.” However, if someone is presented with an opportunity to conduct significant research, or gain other critical knowledge, overseas that would help them in becoming a stronger scholar and job candidate, then the opportunity of a Fulbright is something to pursue. Fortunately, the right opportunities are available when we look for them and that is when the Fulbright programs are invaluable.