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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Political science professor to spend 9 months researching in Croatia

Alex-Assensoh to teach course at University of Zagreb

Assistant Professor of Political Science Yvette Alex-Assensoh was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to spend nine months in Croatia. The award will allow Alex-Assensoh to further her research on ethnic politics and teach a political science course at the University of Zagreb during the 2001 spring semester.\n"I felt very honored and humbled to have been selected to participate in the competitive Fulbright program," Alex-Assensoh said. "It will essentially allow me to represent IU and our country in far-away Croatia." \nShe said her interest in Croatia stems from what she calls its "research context."\n"As an emerging democracy in Eastern Europe, Croatia will certainly prove to be an interesting example of how gender, ethnic and religious minorities are incorporated or integrated into the political process," Alex-Assensoh said.\nAlex-Assensoh said during her stay she plans to interview Croatian political, cultural and social leaders as part of her research. She said she is looking forward to experiencing Croatian culture, and socializing both personally and professionally with community leaders.\nShe said a few contacts from Croatia have already given her advice in preparation for her stay, but said her correspondence with Dr. Aleksandar Stulhofer, who stayed at IU on a Fulbright scholarship from the University of Zagreb, has been a "blessing" to her.\n"He has been very helpful in varied ways, especially in providing useful information about his country, as we still communicate by e-mail," Alex-Assensoh said.\nAlex-Assensoh said she went to France as a Columbia University exchange student and her experience in Western Europe has since fueled her desire to visit and explore Eastern Europe. \nShe said the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, the Croatian Ministry of Science and Technology, which helped to find a school for her two young sons, and the University of Zagreb have collaborated in preparation for her arrival. She also said her mother will accompany her on the trip.\nJoan Middendorf, director of the Teaching Resource Center, and the author of one of Alex-Assensoh's recommendation letters, said the award is well deserved.\n"I'm so happy to see someone who is an excellent scholar, and who puts time and effort into teaching, get the Fulbright award," Middendorf said.\nMiddendorf said Alex-Assensoh is an innovative teacher, using computer games like Sim City to illustrate how communities tackle issues such as education and poverty.\nBefore joining IU's political science department in 1993, Alex-Assensoh, a Louisiana native, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Dillard University in New Orleans. She then went on to earn her Ph.D in political science at Ohio State University.\nAlex-Assensoh has written a book on America's urban underclass and has been published in several journals, magazines and newspapers. By 2001, she will have published two more books, co-authoring titles focusing on multiracial politics in America and military incursions in politics with regard to African nations. Alongside her journalistic achievements, Alex-Assensoh also serves as the book review editor of Urban Affairs Review.\nSeveral organizations such as the National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Ford Foundation and the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation have awarded her grants and fellowships for her accomplishments.\nRoxana Newman, assistant dean of International Programs, said IU ranks well among universities with faculty Fulbright winners, with 10 to 14 professors receiving scholarships a year. \nFaculty members, professionals and administrators generally apply for the awards with the chance to teach and research in over 100 different countries. Winners are then matched with another country's university respective to its teaching needs. \nNewman said the Fulbright scholarship provides "a way for faculty to experience overseas," adding that, "it's the premiere international exchange program for higher education"

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