Student receives Fulbright

Sara Mettlen
Staff Writer
April 8, 2004, Page 1

After a long application process, Aaron Hall has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar to Germany.
According to the Fulbright Mission, the program was created following World War II in 1946.
The program’s goal is to increase understanding between countries by cultural and educational exchange. Maureen Franklin, adviser of the Fulbright Program at Doane, described it as a nationwide competition to study aboard for one year following graduation.
A senior majoring in International Business, German and Political Science, Hall will be completing a research project about military history in Potsdam Germany to fulfill the Fulbright Program.
Hall said that he first began the application process about a year ago, working with German professor H. Peter Reinkordt on his project proposal. With Reinkordt’s help, he narrowed the focus of his proposed research and prepared a rough draft in August.
Reinkordt said that he and Hall met several times over the summer to decide which project Hall would be most likely successful with. He said that the project is good for Hall because it combines his interests and education.
“[Aaron] is unique in that he has an intimate of the military at a young age,” Reinkordt said. “This project gives a chance to understand the difficulties some Germans had [with the military].”
Reinkordt also said that in the last year, Colin Powell has written an article speaking about military personnel needing experience in foreign countries so that they are better able to relate to the countries’ civilians when they are there on duty, further adding to the significance of Hall’s project.
In October, Hall interviewed with the Fulbright committee to get a letter of recommendation. The committee sent the letter of recommendation to New York to be approved by the Department of State. Hall found out in December that his application had been approved and sent on to Germany.
Hall said he chose Germany because he knew that his greatest expertise was in German. His project will focus on the relationship between the United States and German militaries, and how it is changing now that the German military is integrating into the European Union.
“It’s a really complicated topic,” Hall said.
He noted that it was a relevant issue with the question of whether the European Union will support the United States’ stance on looming terrorism.
Hall is in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corp and found out midway through the process that he was assigned military intelligence.
He is integrating the Fulbright and military research into the same project.
Right now, Hall is going through medical procedures, getting blood work done and a complete medical history so that he can live overseas.
He will arrive in Kiel or Regensburg, Germany in August to take his orientation language course. From there, he will go to Potsdam in September, where he will stay until July 2005.
“It’s an exciting process,” Hall said. “It’s been kind of a dream come true.”
Franklin said that Kari Quammen has reached the final round for a teaching award in France. She will know later this spring if she will be a Fulbright Scholar. If awarded, she will teach English in a French public school.
Franklin said that Doane has had more Fulbright Scholars than any other private university in Nebraska.
“They’re carrying on a Doane tradition of being selected as Fulbright Scholars,” Franklin said.
Doane has had 44 Fulbright Scholars.
“It opens up many opportunities because they are part of this network of Fulbright Scholars,” Franklin said. “It’s a big step.”