Commission News
- H.E. Philip D. Murphy - Ambassador of the United States of America
Board News
The Fulbright Commission and Secretariat welcome H.E. Philip D. Murphy - Ambassador of the United States of America - as honorary member of the Fulbright Board. Philip D. Murphy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany on August 7, 2009 and presented his credentials on September 3, 2009.
Ambassador Murphy headed Goldman Sachs’ Frankfurt office and served as the President of Goldman Sachs (Asia) before he became a Senior Director of the firm in 2003. After leaving Goldman Sachs, he served as the National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Ambassador Murphy has devoted substantial time over the years to civic, community and philanthropic affairs. He has served on boards and/or committees of the NAACP, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Center for American Progress, 180 Turning Lives Around and several programs of the University of Pennsylvania, among other entities. Additionally, Ambassador Murphy co-chaired a national task force on 21st century public education and chaired a task force on public sector employee benefits in his home State of New Jersey.
The Commission and the Secretariat also welcome Peter Primus who succeeds Irene Biontino in the German Foreign Office and on the Fulbright Board. Mr. Primus holds the position of Deputy Head of Division Research and Higher Education in the German Foreign Office.
Elizabeth Corwin was appointed as successor to Peter Claussen and took up his position as Cultural Attaché in the U.S. Embassy and on the Fulbright Board.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank those leaving for their commitment and welcome the new members to the Board.
Program News
Diversity Programs
This year´s Diversity Programs took 26 German students with immigration backgrounds to the states of Washington and Kentucky to offer them a taste of life and study at American universities. The Eastern Washington University in Spokane, Washington, hosted the Summer Institute for Outstanding European Students in Education. The University of Kentucky in Lexington invited to their Fulbright Diversity Institute. Read more...
German Student Services Administrators
From September 20 to 26, 2009 ten German university administrators participated in the Fulbright Seminar for German Student Services Administrators (GSSA). This one-week program premier was administered together with the State University of New York at Stony Brook and provided professional advancement to administrators in the areas of career and student services, alumni networking and fundraising at German universities. Read more …
Full and Partial Scholarships for German Students
Up to 120 full and partial scholarships are available to German students from Universitäten and Fachhochschulen to spend a 9-months academic year at a U.S. host university. Close to 500 applications were recommended to the Fulbright Commission for further consideration in the intermediate and final selection procedures. Read more…
American Programs
In a series of welcome meetings practically all incoming American Fulbrighters met in the various grant categories: University students, Teaching Assistants at German Schools, Journalists and American Senior Scholars/Professors have been prepared for their academic or school projects in Germany and have meet with selected alumni of our programs. These meetings took place in Altenberg near Cologne, in Marburg and in Göttingen.
U.S. Administrators in International Education
A group of 24 US Administrators from various universities in the USA is hosted for the 2009 Seminar in Germany in October. During the first week they meet in Berlin and get an introduction into the German university system and the relevant institutions in the capital. During their stay they connect with many colleagues and experts, and visit various universities - one day will be reserved for a side-trip to Leipzig. Following the Berlin program they will subdivide into smaller groups and visit various universities around the country with a focus on international cooperation, career services, fundraising and alumni work. The final days will be spent at Frankfurt University before they depart for home at the end of the month.
Upcoming Special Programs
Berlin Capital Program
The Berlin Capital Program 2009 invites 16 young American journalists to visit Berlin from November 15 to 22, 2009. The Berlin Capital Program is organized by the German-American Fulbright Commission on behalf of the German Foreign Office and offers an intensive series of seminars, presentations, and visits to important German media and German political and cultural institutions. Read more…
Teacher Spring Seminar
The 2010 Teacher Spring Seminar for German teachers has been announced and the response has been tremendous. From the excellent pool of candidates the Commission could select 22 participants who will visit the USA in April of 2010.