By Megan Zirkle '06
Dr. Dan Margolies, Batten Associate Professor of History must travel more than 7,000 miles to reach Seoul, South Korea from the United States this August.
The long journey gives him the opportunity to teach American history and American diplomatic history at Sogang University for the 2007-08 academic year.
Awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award worth $38,500, Margolies will teach Korean English-speaking students the same curriculum he teaches students at Virginia Wesleyan College.
To gear up for his new job Margolies has been networking with other professors to gain insight on how to teach American curriculum to Korean students. From his discussions, Margolies says he has learned that Korean students don't talk as much as American students in the classroom.
But he's not deterred by the differences.
What he will teach:
American History and Foreign Relations. "Reshaping the classes and lectures to fit the Korean students is what I naturally do as a professor," Margolies said. "I take a hands on approach in all my lectures."
A well-known program world-wide, the Fulbright Scholar program is America's flagship international educational program that has had more than 270,000 participants since its inception in 1946. Margolies took interest in the Fulbright program because of South Korea’s culture and location.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. "I wanted to go to Asia because I haven't been there before," he said. "I teach about Asian culture and I saw this as an opportunity to teach about American Foreign Relations."
Margolies will teach two classes per semester both in the fall and spring. His courses are United States since 1877, Southern History, U.S. Foreign Relations and Globalization.
In his spare time Margolies says he plans to travel everywhere he can, including the Demilitarized Zone, if he's allowed. He'd also like to explore North Korea.
Margolies is scheduled to speak at two conferences while in South Korea. One will be on American Empire and extraterritoriality, and the other on Mexican migration into the U.S. – both topics are his areas of research.
Asked what he’ll miss most about the United States, Margolies doesn't hesitate to reply, "eating Mexican food and being able to play music with other people." One of his hobbies is playing the banjo and fiddle.
Each year the Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad. Once he returns from South Korea Margolies hopes to hold lectures about his experience.
"I feel this whole experience will be very interesting," he said. "Everything from living, teaching and traveling in Asia will be an experience."
Margolies and his family will be housed at Sogang University.
08/01/07