TWO MESP ALUMNI MAKE THE 2012-2013 FULBRIGHT ROSTER! TWO MESP ALUMNI MAKE THE 2012- 2013 FULBRIGHT ROSTER 2 JOURNEYS WITH THE MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE 2 SERVING AND LEARNING 3 AROUND THE MIDDLE EAST IN 8 MINUTES 3 The MESP Update is a personal communi- cation from Dr. David Holt to his friends, colleagues, and MESP alumni. It is in- tended to inform and give insight on what he is doing as director of the Middle East Studies Program and to share profiles and stories on past and current MESP students. Comments or opinions expressed by con- tributors do not necessarily represent the views of MESP or the CCCU. The MESP Update is published bimonthly, during the regular semester. Dear Alum & Friends of MESP, I hope you enjoy this newsletter profiling alums who are currently serving as representatives of the Fulbright Scholarship Program and the Mennonite Central Committee MESP is also especially honored to welcome David Owen, PhD candidate in Islamic Studies at Harvard. David is teaching the Islamic Thought and Practice course this semester, while on a Hebrew language fellowship at He- brew University. Students are benefiting from his long journey in the Middle East; both as a scholar and adven- turer, and his expertise on Andalusia is helping to prepare them for their upcoming regional travel that includes Islamic Spain. Thank you David for your willingness to be part of MESP this semester! This is also the first semester that MESP has used its new apartments in Beit Tsafafa, across from the Center at Tantur . Students love the neighborhood and the nearby hangouts of Schnitzel King and Harosmarine Café. These apartments give them a closer look at the local culture, and their proximity to Tantur make safety and conven- ience prime advantages. Students return from local home stays today, and before long we will be traveling to Spain, Morocco and Turkey. As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers! Blessings , David P. Holt VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 Two MESP alums from the Fall 2010 student cohort were recently awarded Fulbright scholarships and are currently serving in Turkey with the English Teaching Assistantship program (ETA). Ruby O’Connor (Seattle Pacific University ) works in the city of Afyonkarahisa, and Emily Pope (Calvin College) was assigned to Ataturk University in Erzurum, the largest city in Eastern Anatolia. In late November, Ruby O’Connor stopped by and addressed the MESP students during their visit to Istanbul. She eagerly described her daily duties and experiences in Afyonkarahisar, and gave the students general tips about the Fulbright application process and encouraged MESPers to apply. “While my semester on MESP was a definite asset, I also believe that my volunteering ex- periences in Seattle enhanced my chances for getting a Fulbright." Ruby hasn't yet decided about her life after the Fulbright, but engaging her students and learning the culture and language of Turkey remind her how grateful she is just to live in the present. Meanwhile, she occasionally enjoys the company of ETA colleagues on weekend travel journeys both within and beyond the borders of Turkey. At the age of 17, Emily Pope travelled to Morocco to teach English for one month and returned the following two summers: “The Muslim culture and hospitality fascinated me!” Later, traveling with MESP, she was privileged to visit Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. “Damas cus and Istanbul were my favorite cities and I became interested in Fulbright as an opportunity to live abroad and learn more about the region." Emily is currently teaching spoken English to first year engineering students and to professors in the Medical School. She describes Erzurum “as a fascin ating place” with a large Iranian-Azeri population. Some of her students come from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. “Though Erzurum is the coldest city in Turk ey, the people are incredibly warm, friendly, and hospitable.” Emily plans to renew her Fulbright ETA contract for another year before pursuing a doctoral program in Geography with an emphasis in Turkey. MESP is always honored to play some small part in facilitating the vocational direction of alums like Ruby and Emily, and naturally, we are proud of their achievements. It needs to be said that MESP would not be what it is without quality students like them. Update Update Update L-R: Ruby O’Connor and Emily Pope with three of their friends APPLICATIONS FOR FALL ‘13 SEMESTER ARE DUE BY APRIL IST
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T W O M E S P A L U M N I M A K E T H E 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 F U L B R I G H T R O S T E R !
T W O M E S P
A L U M N I M A K E
T H E 2 0 1 2 -
2 0 1 3
F U L B R I G H T
R O S T E R
2
J O U R N E Y S
W I T H T H E
M E N N O N I T E
C E N T R A L
C O M M I T T E E
2
S E R V I N G A N D
L E A R N I N G 3
A R O U N D T H E
M I D D L E E A S T
I N 8 M I N U T E S
3
The MESP Update is a personal communi-cation from Dr. David Holt to his friends,
colleagues, and MESP alumni. It is in-tended to inform and give insight on what he is doing as director of the Middle East Studies Program and to share profiles and
stories on past and current MESP students. Comments or opinions expressed by con-tributors do not necessarily represent the
views of MESP or the CCCU. The MESP Update is published bimonthly, during the
regular semester.
Dear Alum & Friends of MESP,
I hope you enjoy this newsletter profiling alums who are currently serving as representatives of the Fulbright
Scholarship Program and the Mennonite Central Committee
MESP is also especially honored to welcome David Owen, PhD candidate in Islamic Studies at Harvard. David is
teaching the Islamic Thought and Practice course this semester, while on a Hebrew language fellowship at He-
brew University. Students are benefiting from his long journey in the Middle East; both as a scholar and adven-
turer, and his expertise on Andalusia is helping to prepare them for their upcoming regional travel that includes
Islamic Spain. Thank you David for your willingness to be part of MESP this semester!
This is also the first semester that MESP has used its new apartments in Beit Tsafafa, across from the Center at
Tantur. Students love the neighborhood and the nearby hangouts of Schnitzel King and Harosmarine Café. These
apartments give them a closer look at the local culture, and their proximity to Tantur make safety and conven-
ience prime advantages.
Students return from local home stays today, and before long we will be traveling to Spain, Morocco and Turkey.
As always, thank you for your continued support and prayers!
Blessings ,
David P. Holt
V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 2
Two MESP alums from the Fall 2010 student cohort were recently awarded Fulbright scholarships and are currently serving in Turkey with the English Teaching Assistantship program (ETA). Ruby O’Connor (Seattle Pacific University) works in the city of Afyonkarahisa, and Emily Pope (Calvin College) was assigned to Ataturk University in Erzurum, the largest city in Eastern Anatolia. In late November, Ruby O’Connor stopped by and addressed the MESP students during their visit to Istanbul. She eagerly described her daily duties and experiences in Afyonkarahisar, and gave the students general tips about the Fulbright application process and encouraged MESPers to apply. “While my semester on MESP was a definite asset, I also believe that my volunteering ex-periences in Seattle enhanced my chances for getting a Fulbright." Ruby hasn't yet decided about her life after the Fulbright, but engaging her students and learning the culture and language of Turkey remind her how grateful she is just to live in the present. Meanwhile, she occasionally enjoys the company of ETA colleagues on weekend travel journeys both within and beyond the borders of Turkey.
At the age of 17, Emily Pope travelled to Morocco to teach English for one month and returned the following two summers: “The Muslim culture and hospitality fascinated me!” Later, traveling with MESP, she was privileged to visit Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. “Damascus and Istanbul were my favorite cities and I became interested in Fulbright as an opportunity to live abroad and learn more about the region." Emily is currently teaching spoken English to first year engineering students and to professors in the Medical School. She describes Erzurum “as a fascinating place” with a large Iranian-Azeri population. Some of her students come from Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. “Though Erzurum is the coldest city in Turkey, the people are incredibly warm, friendly, and hospitable.” Emily plans to renew her Fulbright ETA contract for another year before pursuing a doctoral program in Geography with an emphasis in Turkey. MESP is always honored to play some small part in facilitating the vocational direction of alums like Ruby and Emily, and naturally, we are proud of their achievements. It needs to be said that MESP would not be what it is without quality students like them.
UpdateUpdateUpdate
L-R: Ruby O’Connor and Emily Pope with three of their friends
David P. Holt (PhD) [email protected] Director, Middle East Studies Program Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Jerusalem, Israel and Washington, DC 0549051844 (Israel) (00972)549051844 (From the USA)
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A R O U N D T H E M I D D L E E A S T ( A N D M O R E )
I N 8 M I N U T E S
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A - M - A - Z - I - N - G !
In a land riven with conflict, it can be difficult to engage the surrounding society in ways that aren’t political. How-
ever, MESP students do exactly that every Tuesday at their service projects (video) – an integral part of MESP’s
experiential learning strategy. As past MESPers will attest, spending a full day each week serving locally is an
exciting and challenging way to get out of the classroom and make learning practical and real. Current students
are serving at various organizations in Israel/Palestine, focused on
community development and providing for the marginalized. For exam-
ple, at Al-Basma Rehabilitation Center for Adults with Disabilities in
Western University), and Deborah Givens (Trevecca Nazarene Univer-
sity) help in various ways to further Al-Basma’s goals to fully integrate
the disabled as valued community members. This includes making
paper, weaving carpets, growing spinach in the greenhouse, making heating fuel from leftover materials, and other
tasks around the center. Carson, Cam, and Deborah not only help on tasks, but most importantly are involved in the
lives of Al-Basma’s disabled clients, forming relationships that hold valuable lessons for both the students and the
clients. "Tuesdays at Al Basma (the smile) have provided me with the opportunity to not only give back, in a small way,
to the community of Beit Sahour, but also to interact with and learn from an aspect of Palestinian culture that is rarely
seen or experienced." says Carson Frutiger. Meanwhile, Julia Wilson (Roberts Wesleyan University) and Meagan Dooley
(Seattle Pacific University) volunteer at “The American School” in Beit Jala, assisting Arab and visiting American teach-
ers by tutoring, managing the library, and building relationships with the students they encounter.
MESP is excited to continue the tradition of involving our students practically in local life, building relationships that transform our students and the people they
encounter from misunderstanding to new ways of viewing and treating the other.
Carson Frutiger with clients at Al-Basma
Julia Wilson with local students at “The American School”