Source: Jim Hohenbary, 785-532-6904, jimlth@kstate.edu
News release prepared by: Greg Tammen, 785-532-2535, media@k-state.edu

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

K-STATE JUNIOR TO ATTEND FULBRIGHT COMMISSION SUMMER INSTITUTE IN LONDON

MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University student has been selected to attend the Fulbright Commission Roehampton University London Summer Institute.

Jamie Weiser, junior in life sciences and pre-optometry, Champaign, Ill., will attend the five-week institute with other select undergraduates from across the nation. They will explore the concepts of citizenship and identity as they visit the Houses of Parliament and Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the administrative center of the European Union. During the course, the participants also will produce a short film on human rights and citizenship, volunteer within the community and become ambassadors for studying in the United Kingdom. The program will run June 27-July 29.

Jim Hohenbary, K-State assistant dean for nationally competitive scholarships, received an e-mail about the opportunity and shared it with faculty so they could tell interested students. This prompted Weiser to apply.

"Jamie has put together a very fine academic record in the two years she's been at K-State," Hohenbary said. "My guess is that the selection committee looked for students who could really successfully engage the experiences they will have available to them in the U.K. Jamie not only looks like an excellent student because of her academic record, but because she's also been engaged in many leadership opportunities. She demonstrates that she will really throw herself into the program and maximize what she gets out of it."

As a participant in the program, Weiser will have most of her costs covered, including round-trip airfare, tuition fees, accommodation, social programs and visa processing.

Program criteria include that applicants have a high level of academic achievement, have completed no more than two years of university study, be willing to contribute to classroom discussions, complete all assigned work and have little to no study or travel experience outside the U.S.

At K-State Weiser is the assistant vice president of scholarship for Sigma Kappa sorority; a member of K-State Healthy Decisions, Chimes Junior Honorary and the Pre-Optometry Club; an orientation leader; a columnist for the K-State Collegian, the student newspaper; and is involved with SafeZone, the Women's Center and the International Student Center. A K-State semester honors list student, she received the university's Legacy Scholarship.

Hohenbary said he hopes that Weiser's success will encourage more K-Staters to apply for the program next year.