Hedin, a German major, and Oka, an English and political science double-major, are both recipients of Fulbright scholarships. The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, is the largest U.S. international exchange program which offers opportunities for international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the program for U.S. students awards grants to U.S. citizens for one academic year of study, research or teaching assistantship experience.
When asked for her reasons for applying for a Fulbright scholarship, Oka replied, "I applied seeking adventure post-Amherst, but also because I wanted to share my intellectual experiences with others."
Oka plans to use her scholarship to travel to Madrid, Spain, where she will be teaching English to secondary school students. "I plan to develop a speech and debate program for the school to encourage critical thinking, rhetorical awareness, as well as build English-speaking skills, beyond the classroom," she explained. During her time there, Oka also plans to travel through Spain, read Spanish literature and write for travel publications.
Afterwards, Oka plans to obtain a teaching credential, in addition to a master of social work. In her application, she writes, "I plan to teach English at the secondary school level and eventually become a school psychologist to help students achieve optimal academic performance."
Hedin also plans to spend his Fulbright year in Europe, studying at the Georg-August University of Göttingen in Germany. He has previously spent a summer at the university in 2005. During his stay, Hedin plans to study German literature with a concentration on Romanticism. In his application, he explained his interest in the field, writing, "Research on how this genre became the focal point of a revolution not only in literary praxis but also critical thought about literature."
Upon completion of his studies in Germany, Hedin plans to enroll in a doctoral program in German literature at a U.S. university.
Lockwood, a philosophy and economics major, was awarded a Beinecke scholarship. Lockwood is the first Amherst student to receive the Scholarship since 1999. The Beinecke Scholarship Program was established in 1971 and provides scholarships in the amount of $32,000 for graduate study.
As of yet, Lockwood has not made any specific plans for the use of his scholarship. "I'm still up in the air for now. I'll certainly go to grad school with it, and right now I'm thinking about using it to start a graduate degree in economics, or possibly political philosophy," he said. "No matter what, I'll probably shoot for a Ph.D. in something that would let me either teach at the college level or work in policy."
When asked about the application process, Lockwood said, "Denise [Gagnon of the Fellowship Office] was certainly really helpful, both in bringing the award to my attention and in helping me through the application process. My advisor, [Professor of Philosophy] Alexander George, has also been very encouraging. He was the one who suggested I think about applying for fellowships and graduate study early on here at Amherst."
Oka expressed similar sentiments. "Amherst has fantastic resources to help with the application process," she said. "Denise Gagnon was amazing. Always patient and encouraging, she was my editor, therapist and mother throughout the month of September. My faculty recommenders at Amherst-Andrew Parker and Tom Dumm-kept me motivated through their support. Tracy Tennenhouse and Bruce Garber, professors from Moorpark College (the community college from which I transferred) also supplied recommendation letters and gave me endless encouragement through frequent phone calls and e-mails."
Oka went on to say, "I encourage all students to consider programs like the Fulbright. Living and studying abroad is a great way to test one's ideas and assumptions, while providing new learning opportunities."