Ephrata Area School District Electives Supervisor and Head Librarian at Ephrata High School, Dr. Samantha Hull, has been awarded a Fulbright Teacher Exchange to Finland for the second half of the 2024-2025 academic year. This award, granted by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, is part of a competitive program that enables U.S. citizens to teach, study, and conduct research abroad.
As a Fulbright recipient, Dr. Hull will embark on a journey to Finland, where she will serve as a researcher, focusing on her inquiry project titled “Librarians as Structural Supports: From Information Literacy to Transitional Student Moments.” Her research will involve visiting schools and libraries across Finland and the Nordic region to gain insights into their education systems and how librarians support various types of learning. She will conduct interviews with educators, students, and parents, as well as audit classes at the University of Jyväskylä. Dr. Hull plans to bring back to EASD best practices and innovative approaches to enhance student success, particularly in areas such as transitions for 5th and 9th graders, the implementation of LRG traits at the high school level, and the development of stronger community partnerships.
"This opportunity has been on my radar for close to ten years. I've always admired programs that support education in authentic and global ways. The Fulbright Program seemed like the ‘golden goose’ in terms of prestige and global education efforts," Dr. Hull shared.
The impact of this exchange will extend beyond her professional growth. Dr. Hull's children will join her in Finland and will be enrolled in a Finnish public school. The family is eagerly preparing for the cultural immersion, with plans to explore neighboring countries during school breaks. "I selected Finland because of the Scandinavian education system, widely known as one of the best in the world, while also often topping the lists of the happiest countries globally. Finland’s library system is also exceptional. I believe all these things are interconnected. I’m most excited about growing as a human, librarian, parent, educator, and as a Mountaineer. I think there is so much to learn from other cultures' educational systems and supports, especially those that are globally renowned,” she concluded.
The Fulbright Program is funded by an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide significant support. Dr. Hull is one of over 800 U.S. citizens selected for the Fulbright Program this year. The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, has a long-standing history of fostering international exchange, with over 400,000 participants from more than 160 countries.
