Kimberly Battle-Walters, Ph.D., associate professor of social work, and Marianne Hattar, DNSc, professor of nursing, were named as 2002 Fulbright Scholars.

The Fulbright Scholar Program began in 1945 by Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The high academic honor provides awards and grants for educational activities in 140 countries, including university lecturing, advanced research, and graduate study. Only 800 U.S. faculty and professionals are awarded each year out of more than 4,000 applicants.

As a Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Hattar functions as a U.S. ambassador to Jordan, utilizing her expertise and knowledge to forge educational links between the two countries and meeting Jordan’s pressing educational needs. During her research, Hattar will work with Princess Muna Al Hussein, mother of Jordan’s King Abdullah II. She also plans to conduct original research in the area of health among that country’s immigrant women.

“Research on immigrant women in general, and particularly Jordanian women, is scant,” said Hattar. “The findings of the proposed study will shed light on the health status of women in Jordan and enhance our understanding of the confounding variables impacting expatriate Jordanian women.”

Battle-Walters became a visiting scholar at Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg, South Africa, studying how the civil rights movement has empowered the women of that region.

“I expected to feel like I had taken a step back in time, as if I lived in the United States during the ’50s and ’60s, when apartheid was coming to an end,” said Battle-Walters.

“I am honored and humbled that the Lord opened the door for me to represent our university, our country, African Americans, and women as a Fulbright Scholar.’’