Judgment Seat



For the past five days, I've been "locked" in a room with several other panelists to determine the fate of some Vietnamese students who have applied to study for Masters degrees in the U.S.  Financial assistance is provided by the Fulbright program to a select number of applicants for this purpose.  It's one more way that Fulbright works to foster mutual understanding and cooperation between our two countries.  I think it's great. 

Over 200 applications were received initially from aspiring students and our team has read over 50 of them.  They cover a variety of disciplines, such as education, law, business, agriculture, social work, public policy, natural resources, etc.  Each of the interviews lasted about 45 minutes.  Afterwards, we had to whittle this number down to 25, which included a list of 3 alternates.  It was a fun task, but not easy.  Every applicant was highly qualified, otherwise they would not have made it to the semi-finalist round.

Our decisions will not only affect the lives of these students, but also the future of Vietnam.  After returning home, Fulbright students will use their knowledge, skills, and abilities to solve some of the most pressing issues in Vietnam.  There are many.  It's very rewarding to know that I am part of a process that will literally change the lives of so many people.  That's pretty awesome. 

At MU, I was chair of the Student Conduct committee for almost two years.  Our committee also heard from students and determined their fate, but in a much different way (either suspension, dismissal or expulsion).  It's really nice to see the other side of the coin for a change.