Fulbright scholar fulfills goals in PH

Written by AdministratorThursday, 19 September 2013 18:16

Paul Fontelo of Potomac, Maryland shares his music expertise with aspiring youngmusicians in the Philippines.

A Filipino-American Fulbright scholar from Potomac, Maryland is currently in the Philippinesfulfilling his grant purpose of working and teaching abroad for the academic year 2013-14 andhelp further his academic and professional career.

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Fulbright scholar fulfills goals in PH

Written by AdministratorThursday, 19 September 2013 18:16

Paul Fontelo, a recent music and history double major graduate of the College of the HolyCross, became a Fulbrighter to study classical music composition from leading Filipinocomposers and musicians at the University of the Philippines’ College of Music.

“By gaining a deeper understanding on the process by which Filipino composers useheterogeneous culture to write music, my project aims to examine the manner in which musicshapes and expresses everyday life in a multicultural Philippines,” Fontelo stated.

He also wants to form youth orchestras in the Philippines modeled after the famous VenezuelanEl Sistema youth orchestra system.

Fontelo is considering graduate school for music or a career in the foreign service, and hopeshis Fulbright experience helps discern his vocation.

At Holy Cross, he was involved in the jazz ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, symphonic band,student-run Alternate College Theatre, college choir, and Schola Cantorum.

He was also the co-founder and co-chair of the recreational water polo club.

This is not Fontelo’s first time in the Philippines representing Holy Cross.

Last summer, he interned for the U.S. Embassy in Manila’s cultural affairs section.

Under the mentorship of U.S. ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas, Fontelo said helearned the value of cultural exchange and understanding the importance of engaging in globaldialogue.

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Fulbright scholar fulfills goals in PH

Written by AdministratorThursday, 19 September 2013 18:16

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is widely recognizedas the most prestigious international exchange program in the world.

Each year approximately 1,700 U.S. college students are awarded grants through the FulbrightU.S. Student Program.

As the U.S. Government’s flagship program in international educational exchange, it awardsgrants to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities,primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementaryand secondary schools.

Since the program’s inception in 1946, more than 300,000 participants — selected on the basisof academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential — havehad the opportunity to observe each other’s political, economic and cultural institutions.

The program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide.

This year’s recipients headed to Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines,Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

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