As a Registered Nurse I saved lives, eased suffering, and necessarily found ways to communicate therapeutically with patients, families, and health care team members who were very different from me. This was especially true when I lived and worked in New Orleans. The cultural mix there was dramatic and challenging.
After practicing and teaching nursing for a number of years, I completed a doctoral degree in Adult and Higher Education. Stepping away from nursing was a right decision for me. As a university professor and adult educator, I like to think that I improve the lives of others and enhance their self-discovery and development. It’s been a very fulfilling career altogether.
The idea to pursue a Fulbright award originated during Christmas 2008, in connection with memories of a Fall 2007 trip to Europe that was aborted midway due to illness. Aside from a love of Europe and travel, I was captivated by the desire to continue a career of service, but in an entirely different way. I read a number of reports by returning Fulbright Scholars and the projects they had completed.
