Olimpia Mosteanu

Fulbright Student, 2011-2012

In 2011 I was awarded a Student (Junior) Fulbright grant for the 2011-2012 academic year by the Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission to pursue a Master's degree in Sociology at the New School for Social Research. The Student Fulbright grant made it possible for me to be part of a wide range of academic events (e.g. courses, conferences, lectures offered by the New School). In addition to the rich academic experiences, the grant gave me the opportunity to meet and share my experiences with students coming from various academic, cultural and social backgrounds.

During the fall 2011 and spring 2012 I enrolled in six courses as follows: "Concept of culture", "Logic of inquiry", Classical sociology" (Fall 2011) and "Contemporary sociological theory", "Sociology of symbolic interaction", "Historical sociology" (Spring 2012). My GPA during the 2011-2012 academic year was 3.95 (out of 4.00). These courses and the discussions with my professors and peers helped me refine and better tackle the research questions and projects I brought with me from Romania. Overall, all those experiences have helped me acquire relevant academic skills required from a successful scholar in social sciences. Thus, I believe the Student (Junior) Fulbright grant gave me the opportunity to become a better prepared social researcher and academic.

As a token of my academic achievement at the New School for Social Research, I was chosen by the Committee on Admissions, Awards, and Scholarships to receive the University Fellowship award for the academic year 2012-2013. This award is one given only to those continuing students who prove excellence and great promise in their field of studies, and therefore it constitutes one of the highest honors that can be given to a student at the New School for Social Research. I hope this fellowship and my GPA during the 2011-2012 academic year demonstrate that I applied myself to my studies so as to live up to the expectations of those who placed their trust in me when they offered me the Student (Junior) Fulbright grant.