Fulbright Meeting Minutes
December 7, 2022
Present: Steven Duke, Amy Forss, Amy Wendling, Wael ElRayes, Ken Hoppmann
Steve asked me to ask Hannah to get the email within the Fulbright system to access the emailing function.
Ken discussed the coffee he held had 8 people attending and then only had two but he appreciated the smaller group because he had more time for talking about Fulbright. He stressed it was about quality not necessarily the number of people attending.
Amy W said had a coffee at Zen—it was near UNMC—but only a few people showed up. Steve also had a coffee near the Lincoln downtown area and it was cold. He emailed the Fulbright alumni and the visiting Fulbright—an alumni and Fulbright student showed up. Realized it was key to plan the coffee near downtown where the people are located.
Steve suggested we have separate events with Fulbright alumni—most likely the faculty who have not had a collective and they may be an excellent networking person who might eventually our Fulbright chapter board. Amy liked the idea of Alumni separately—she thought it would give ore traction. Steve suggested January after the holidays to convene with separate coffees. Steve asked Wael for thoughts on how to engage Fulbright visitors. Wael said the College of Public Health does announcement for a fellowship open to anyone and even though the college offers five awards there are not enough applicant for the college to give out all five. So, the point Wael was making was that if he can’t get five people to apply for an award, he is unsure how to get Fulbright alumni and visiting scholars to attend our board run coffees. Wael suggested we gear our coffees to a space to discuss future opportunities after their Fulbright. Wael thinks this perspective would be a draw to entice people to attend our coffees.
Ken mentioned when he talked with a Fulbright visiting student, he suggested having a session on possibilities for students to do after they return—since their countries expect it as part of being a Fulbright. This topic of “what can you do when you go home” is an issue for Fulbright students and faculty to come up with a project to benefit their country or school from what they learned on their Fulbright. Wael noted the scholars he hosted last year and he tried to come up with ideas for the scholars to figure out a project but depending on the government aid from their individual countries varied. Amy F mentioned her college had a stipulation that her Fulbright benefited her college. Ken said he would like to do this for Austria or Vienna—Amy W said she would get his name on a list.
Steve says to keep doing the coffees into the spring—there is still funding from the $800 grant—if there’s money left over, we could roll the money over into next fall. There’s more for small activities but not necessarily a large event. Wael said there’s still a bank issue. He has the money but there’s nothing to we can do to access it until the paperwork is completed. Ken and Wael will need to meet in Lincoln on either a Tuesday or Thursday at a Wells Fargo to transfer over the treasurer responsibilities. They will meet at Wells Fargo on Tuesday January 3, 2023 at 10 am.
Steve has emailed Nazarene—sec of student Fulbright org—to propose a lunch hosted by our chapter. In the meantime, Steve asked Ken to do a coffee — he wants to do a few more in Lincoln on a Friday in January, but Steve asked that he consider the ride situation to the venue. Steve said he would do a coffee in February as well. Amy W said let’s do a lunch for Omaha. Amy F offered to help Amy W to do one in December or January.
Amelia needed to postpone for the spring, but Steve wondered if we wanted another Fulbright forum or should we have a second speaker. Wael mentioned finding the list of visiting Fulbright outside of Nebraska and invite them to UNMC or UNL to do a lecture. Steve suggested 1 Fulbright forum in Lincoln and do another in Omaha with another speaker and have a reception, perhaps at Creighton, or UNMC or Metropolitan Community College—although Steve noted UNMC might be the best spot since there’s the most Fulbright there or visiting scholars. Steve asked Wael if he could spearhead in the spring of 2023.
Hockey game—Steve said we have funds—or another event in Omaha. Steve said our chapter has $400-ish–$10-$15 per ticket for up to 40 people. Steve asked who could attend. Amy W wondered on the time—she can’t unless it’s during the day. Steve said all the ones at Baxter at in the evening. Amy F said she would come along with Steve. Ken said he was a maybe. Steve said he liked a Saturday date better than a Friday—Saturday January 14, 2023 is the date.
Steve says we need to fill out paperwork for each event we’ve done so far and document how much was spent. Amy W will do it as well as Ken H on their respective coffees.
Ken said there’s nothing to report on the Treasury. He will gather numbers from now on for each month. Asked Steve if we need to include the treasury report in the minutes. Wael said with annual report need to include the grant amount and how much we spent. Ken asked if the annual report was calendar year or fiscal year—Wael thought it was ended in May.
Spring 2023 grant application is available now. Steve said he would apply for additional money and plan an additional activity in Omaha, perhaps in the summer. Ken wondered what the percentage is of alumni in Omaha versus Lincoln. Steve thought it was 60% in Lincoln vs 30% in Omaha split with 10% outside of these two cities.
Ken realizes that the list of alumni may be more engaged if we did something beyond social, maybe create a project, something that people would take pride. Ken asked what he thought scholars at this level. Amy F suggested having more Fulbright faculty convene to reminisce and possibly write down their experiences and maybe how to be involved today. Steve suggested having a “Who wants to be a future Fulbright” sessions which would include past Fulbright and current ones sharing their insights for those who may want to apply. Steve suggested looking in this session possibility for maybe March or April.
Steve mentioned there is a Fulbright meeting tomorrow and asked those who could to attend this zoom session.
Amy W works with Nebraska Humanities alliance—since Fulbright is roped into omnibus bills—Amy W wondered if any of the group she’s familiar with—NEH, etc. might want to attend a chapter event.