Music faculty member Hale named Fulbright Ambassador

By Kristina Kenney
University News Service
February 21, 2012

Texas State University-San Marcos School of Music Senior Lecturer Daris Hale was recently named a Fulbright Ambassador after being nominated for the position in January.

The selection comes on the heels of Hale’s trip to Tanzania as part of a lecturing and research award she was given after being named one of 1,100 Fulbright Scholars for the 2010-2011 year. During the trip she taught music theory, western music history and professional writing in music as part of the music program at Makumira University in Arusha, Tanzania.

“I had a spectacular experience and love sharing it with people,” said Hale.

After learning of her nomination to be a Fulbright Ambassador in January, Hale went to the Fulbright headquarters in Washington, D.C., to attend a training session and learned shortly after that she had been selected. Fulbright Ambassadors are expected to travel to various American universities and national conferences to promote the program and encourage other scholars to consider applying for the fellowship. Hale said each Ambassador represents various demographics, with hers being artists, families, adjuncts and women.

“These categories are important because they all hold a wealth of talented individuals that can benefit the world through cultural exchange,” said Hale.

For more than 65 years the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, a division of the Institute of International Education, has served as the collaborating agency for the U.S. Department of State in administering the Fulbright Scholar Program. The worldwide success of the Fulbright Scholar Program has been built on the talent, commitment and professionalism of scholars who have served universities and research institutions in more than 155 countries.

For more information, please contact Texas State Fulbright Campus Representative Steve Wilson at (512) 245-7680 or by email at sw13@txstate.edu.