AURORA, COLO.—There is one word in higher education that is virtually guaranteed to grab attention: Fulbright. And Community College of Aurora Professor and Chair of Arts and Humanities Amy Rell has been getting a lot of notice lately: she has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright grant to study history and culture in China this summer. The college’s first Fulbright fellow, Rell is eager to embark on her adventure.

“Traveling is one of the greatest opportunities in the world, and as faculty, we’ve got to be out there not just talking the talk, but walking the walk,” Rell says. “Every opportunity I can take to enhance myself as a global citizen, I’m going to go for it.”

Rell is one of just 16 educators nationwide selected to participate in the 2009 Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad: History and Culture in China program. She will travel to Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and other regions to gain valuable insight into a culture that is increasingly becoming an important element in American curricula.

There are numerous reasons Rell applied for the grant, but one in particular stands out. “My application was directly related to our globalization effort at CCA,” she says. “We want to add a Chinese program to our language department, and my hope is that with the connections I will make, we will be better equipped to do so.”

Rell’s selection was the result of a long vetting process conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. “The application process was extremely rigorous,” she confirms. “There was a ‘Q&A’ section, a series of essays, letters of recommendation, and a curriculum vitae to be submitted, and, even then, it was a waiting game—because as one of the highest honors in academia, the Fulbright is extremely competitive.” She submitted her application late last summer, and was informed in April of her selection. She departs for a three-day orientation in California on June 26 and heads to China on June 29.

Rell’s trip will complement her recent tour of Chile and Argentina as part of a Council on International Education Exchange program, as well as her travels last year to Cuba to learn about the island’s history, culture, and politics.

The chance to experience China intrigues Rell because of her trip to Cuba. “One of the things I emphasized in my application was how eager I am to compare these communist countries,” she explains. “I want to compare the political nature of China with Cuba to see how health care, education, and the economy are affected, and contrast the two with their distinct approaches to capitalism.”

As a condition of her selection, Rell is required to develop a curricular project that focuses on China. Due 90 days after her return, her project will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education and to the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, which administers the Fulbright-Hays program. It will then be posted online and made available to educators nationwide.

Rell is both energized and humbled by the award. “I am so excited,” she explains. “I honestly never anticipated achieving a Fulbright—the honor itself is something I’m really trying to embrace. I am blessed to have this opportunity to represent Aurora, the college, and my family, and to make myself a better global citizen.”

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