Professor Perry Hamalis earns prestigious Fulbright Scholarship for international exchange in Korea

North Central College continues to build a reputation as an institution that produces Fulbright honorees with the awarding of a 12-month Fulbright Scholarship to Perry Hamalis, Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion, associate professor of religious studies and director of College Honors Programs.

Hamalis was selected by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the Korean-American Educational Commission for a Fulbright award spanning July 2015 to July 2016. He will be affiliated with the United Graduate School of Theology at Yonsei University, International Campus, in Seoul, South Korea. In addition to teaching and doing research, he will be serving as a “scholarly ambassador” to the Korean people.

“I’ll be teaching students from across Korea and other regions of Asia who come to Seoul to study; it will most certainly be an adventure,” says Hamalis, adding that his wife and children will accompany him. “North Central is being very supportive, enabling my family and me to take this amazing opportunity for the full year.”

In June, Kristin Geraty, assistant professor of sociology, will assume the position of director of College Honors Programs.

In addition to teaching two courses each semester, Hamalis’ research will focus on outcomes of Korea hosting the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, the world's largest ecumenical gathering, held in November 2013. “What have been some of the consequences of this historic event upon major and minor Christian communities in Korea?” is a question he will explore. “In particular, how, if at all, did the General Assembly impact relations between the Orthodox Church in Korea and other denominations?” 

The Fulbright Scholarship is a prestigious national award that is funded through the U.S. State Department and promotes mutual understanding between the United States and its allies through scholarly and cultural exchange.