The Fall conference of the Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania (WNY/NWPA) Chapter of the Fulbright Association will be held at the University at Buffalo on November 6, 2015. The conference will feature a keynote address by Ms. Reha Mallory, coordinator of short-term and long-term Fulbright-Hays group programs for the national Fulbright office. Her address will highlight innovations and recent changes that have taken place in the Fulbright group program, and the impact that it has on public education.

    The conference is open to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and professionals interested in applying for a Fulbright grant to study abroad in the 2017-2018 academic year, as well as community persons interested in learning more about the valuable contributions that Fulbright provides.

Reha Mallory oversees the Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad-Short Term and Long-Term programs for the U.S. Department of Education. Previously, Ms. Mallory worked in the public and charter school settings. For over 14 years, she served as a middle and high school administrator and instituted programs geared toward preparing students for postsecondary education. Reha Mallory was instrumental in developing a college bound curriculum for Detroit area high school students that garnered a 90 percent graduation rate and 2.4 million dollars in scholarships for the graduating class. Ms. Mallory will earn a juris doctor degree from Western Michigan Cooley Law School in January of 2016 and earned a BA from California State University, Northridge. While an undergraduate, she studied abroad in France and while in graduate school, Reha studied the public and private education system in China. Reha Mallory credits both experiences with enhancing her passion for international education and ensuring all students have access to postsecondary learning.

       The conference is sponsored by the WNY/NWPA Chapter of the Fulbright Association and the State University of New York at Buffalo.   Registration for the conference begins at 11:30, with the keynote address scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm. The event, which will be held in 113 O’Brian Hall, is free and open to the public. Because lunch will be provided, please visit the on-line registration form at http://j.mp/fulbrightfall15. Contact Walter Hakala at walterha@buffalo.edu with any questions.

   Presentations on different Fulbright awards will be discussed by Chapter Board members and local Fulbrighters. Following presentations, conference attendees are welcome to stay for breakout sessions, to learn more about each of the Fulbright Award opportunities. The conference is expected to wrap up by 3:00 pm.