Marianne Johnson, an economics professor in the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Business (COB), has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and will spend the 2017 fall semester at Lurasi University in Tirana, Albania.
Established in 1946 and sponsored by the U.S. government, the Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange program designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as their record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.
No stranger to teaching abroad, Johnson received her first Fulbright award in 2005, which sent her to Tartu University in Estonia. She followed that experience up with a semester exchange with UW Oshkosh’s partner university Hochschule Osnabrueck in Germany in 2012.
“This it is a great opportunity to see how economics is taught and practiced in Albania. Much of my research focuses on historical and comparative policymaking and I find how other countries approach making economic decisions really interesting,” Johnson said.
The COB strongly advocates international study and research as a way to improve technology and processes, understand human nature, generate innovative products and open new markets.
“We are very proud of Dr. Johnson and delighted that she is receiving another prestigious Fulbright scholarship to continue her international economics studies. Dr. Johnson has led several study tours in an effort to help our students understand business and economic opportunities in China, South America and Europe. She is a true advocate of multicultural learning and her work continues to advance the international expertise of both faculty and students of the college,” COB Dean Barbara Rau said.
Prior to traveling Johnson will be tackling a full battle plan of paperwork, getting all the appropriate medical and academic paperwork needed for visas and residency status for her family. Johnson’s husband, Eric Kuennen, associate professor of mathematics, will also be taking this time to away from UW Oshkosh to write a new college algebra textbook for Math 104.
“My children are really excited traveling to Albania and the additional opportunities to travel to Greece and Italy. Like most children, they are a bit more apprehensive about attending a new school,” Johnson said.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 370,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential—with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. More than 1,900 U.S. students, artists and early career professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English, and conduct research annually in more than 140 countries throughout the world.
The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation by the United States Congress to the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.
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