Professors Selected as Fulbright Specialists
Dr. Mackenzi Huyser ’97, dean for faculty development and academic programs, and Dr. Patti Powell, director of the graduate program in special education, have been accepted to the roster of Fulbright Specialists.
According to the website, the Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP) promotes linkages between U.S. scholars and professionals and their counterparts at host institutions overseas. The program awards grants to qualified U.S. faculty and professionals, in select disciplines, to engage in short-term collaborative two- to six-week projects at eligible institutions in over 140 countries worldwide.
For more information about the program, visit the Fulbright website.
Dr. Mackenzi Huyser ’97
Huyser developed the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program for Trinity and obtained full professional accreditation for the program, a process that began in 2000 and took five years to complete. She was selected as an emerging leader by the Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers in 2010.
Huyser’s motivation for applying to the Fulbright Specialist Program stemmed from a desire to gain a more global perspective on teaching in her discipline. She is interested in learning from international partners about their work preparing the next generation of social workers. She also hopes to gain new insights from international institutions of higher education to see how they celebrate and inspire faculty in the area of faculty development. In these overseas universities, Huyser would provide consultation in the areas of program and curricular development, assessment of student learning, and faculty development.
“I continually see the significant impact that a global perspective has on higher education both in specific disciplines and institutionally,” said Huyser. “In Trinity’s social work program, this has resulted in integrating a global perspective into our curriculum, expanding our continuing education offerings to address cross-cultural issues in the field, and developing partnerships with international field placement sites in Ecuador and Kenya.
“Pursuing this work has connected our program with wonderful partners in the Chicagoland area and overseas. I see similar opportunities for partnership through the Fulbright Specialist Program.”
Dr. Patti Powell
Named a Fulbright Scholar in 2011, Powell spent a semester at Sam Sharpe Teacher’s College in Granville, Jamaica, teaching special education classes, observing student teachers, introducing service-learning to students and faculty, and helping the special education faculty write curriculum to change from a three-year diploma granting program to a four-year degree granting program.
Powell said she applied for the Fulbright Specialist Program because of her scholar experience and her continuing work in Jamaica, where she leads Trinity students in service-learning at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf every January.
As a specialist, Powell hopes to utilize her education and strong background in service-learning by participating in international collaboration.
“I have the opportunity to impact both students and faculty at Trinity as well as members of the various special education and international organizations that I am a part of,” said Powell. “The richer my experiences, the more I can give back to those considering such an option.”
Powell serves as the Fulbright Program Advisor on Trinity’s campus and believes that overseas experiences enrich her in this role as she encourages students to pursue their own international experiences. She is also a board member of the Chicago Fulbright chapter.