MC students receive Fulbright grant to study in Asia

Following their graduation this May, MC seniors Tim Polakowski and Andrew Haff will be getting ready for a year abroad. They have each been awarded a Fulbright grant for 2008-2009.

Polakowski will be heading to South Korea, while Haff will be going to Vietnam.

The esteemed Fulbright scholarships are awarded to seniors who are graduating from a U.S. college for a year abroad. Applicants either propose a research topic to concentrate on during their time overseas, or else focus on teaching ESL classes while engaging in independent study on a suggested topic.

Including Polakowski and Haff, 25 MC students have received Fulbright scholarships since 1996, and three were named alternates. Several more won related grants. This is higher per capita than any other college or university in the state of Indiana.

Polakowski majored in social work and Spanish, with a minor in gerontology. He will be teaching ESL and studying the universal health care system of South Korea, in order to gain a more international perspective regarding medical care.

Haff is a history major. He will be part of the Fulbright’s first year sponsoring a program in Vietnam. He will be teaching English at the college level, rather than at area public schools (as would be typical in most other Fulbright programs).

This is not either of their first experience with travelling and living overseas. Polakowski spent both semesters of his sophomore year in Barcelona, Spain as part of the BCA program. During his junior year, he spent Jan-term in Mexico, whereas he travelled to Nicaragua during the most recent Jan-term.

Haff, meanwhile, accompanied Dr. Angelos on his Jan-term Comparative Civilizations trips for each of the last three years; in 2006, he toured around a variety of countries in Europe; in 2007, he travelled to Spain; and in 2008, he went to the British Isles. “I think I’ve been to almost every country in western Europe,” he said.

However, it will be their first time in Asia. “It still doesn’t seem quite right that I’m actually going to South Korea,” Polakowski said. “I’m really nervous about learning the language; all of my experiences abroad have been in Spanish-speaking countries. This will be my first time going to another country without at least some understanding of the native language.”

Nevertheless, he is looking forward to the process of learning, especially since he will be living with a host family. “I stayed with host families in Spain and in Mexico,” Polakowski said. “It really allows you to learn about the culture so much more thoroughly and deeply.”

Although this will not be Haff’s first time in a country with a language that is unfamiliar with him, this will be his first time abroad alone, without a group of his fellow students. Furthermore, he does not yet know what his living situation will be. “It’s up to the local institution regarding whether I’ll be living with a host family or in a college residence hall or apartment.”

Tim made the decision to apply as a Fulbright scholar to Korea partly because it is in the most need of teachers, and thereby provides the best chance of being awarded a grant. He encourages students who may be considering applying for a Fulbright to consider the acceptance rates of different countries, and to plan accordingly.

Polakowski’s back-up plan, in case he didn’t get the grant, was to join the Peace Corps.

Haff’s was to either take a job working with computers with a company that was seeking college graduates or to work as a substitute teacher.

Although Haff had gotten excited over the prospects offered by his back-up plans, he received encouragement from several people to accept the Fulbright grant. “Dr. Song [an MC history professor] talked with me about the importance of taking chances at this stage of my life,” he said, “and Clayton Pendergast [the acting spiritual leader of the Miami Indians in Indiana] stressed to me the importance of sharing one’s gifts with the world.”

Polakowski also emphasized the importance of the application essay. “Preparing the essay is the most grueling part of the application process,” he said. “However, through the writing, rewriting and editing of your essay, you will learn a lot about yourself and discover more about what you want to do with your time and energy.”

Although he misses people back in the states when he is travelling, Polakowski finds the rewards of living in different countries to be far greater than the difficulties. “Christmas is hard, but other than that it doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “After all, it’s temporary, and the experience is so worth it.”