“The mediocre teacher tells. The good
teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher
inspires.”
MURFREESBORO — David Owens is on a journey
to become an educator who inspires.
The Middle
Tennessee State University doctoral student clearly remembers the first day he
spent outside the U.S. in Quito, Ecuador.
“The whole vibe
of a new culture and the opportunity to teach and learn in a new place sparked
an adrenaline boost that made me feel alive,” he said.
Owens once again
will experience that adrenaline rush when he arrives in Brazil next spring to
begin a nine-month Fulbright English teaching assistantship.
The Fulbright
Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by
the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between
the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients
of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional
achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.
During his time
in Brazil, Owens plans to work with locals on science and farming projects and
volunteer where needed. He also looks forward to participating in some of the
local pastimes for which he, too, shares a passion — Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, rock
climbing, surfing and playing soccer.
Owens’ vast
wealth of knowledge and experience should serve him well during this endeavor. In
2001, he taught biology in Ecuador and has spent several years since teaching
science in high school and university settings. He also spent time in 2011 in
India, volunteering at a young men’s home, becoming certified as a yoga
instructor and is learning to speak Portuguese.
What truly
motivates Owens is sharing knowledge and its usefulness.
“My ultimate
goal in education is to expand my knowledge and abilities so I can help grow
‘whole’ learners,” he said, “that is, students who walk away from their
learning experience with a stronger character as well as an increased
knowledge, one which they can apply to help ensure success on whatever path
they choose in life.”
Owens’ extensive
work orchestrating and leading expeditions with Outward Bound and the Chadwick
School’s wilderness program should help him facilitate character development
among the people with whom he has the opportunity to interact. Both programs
have taken him across the U.S. and into South Korea, leading participants of
all ages on a journey of self-discovery.
Owens said he believes
that through high-impact activities — such as whitewater rafting, multiple days
of backpacking and outdoor living, and rock climbing — participants develop
communication and leadership skills and find sources of strength from within of
which they were previously unaware. He hopes that these tools will help him
uncover similar strengths in the people he encounters in Brazil through the
Fulbright program.
Owens, a Memphis
native, is a student again. He recently began a doctoral program in math and
science education at MTSU.
“This degree
program, coupled with a Fulbright experience, will help prepare me to reach my
dream of helping others achieve goals, while expanding my own horizons as an
instructor, a traveler, and as an ambassador of goodwill,” he said.
Owens holds a
bachelor’s degree in biology education and chemistry from MTSU and a master’s
degree in ecology from the University of Nebraska.
This marks the
fourth consecutive year MTSU has had at least two students awarded a Fulbright
opportunity. Owens is the 11th MTSU student to receive this honor.
Students are
encouraged to learn more about the Fulbright by attending workshops Wednesday,
Nov.13. Two sessions will be offered:
• 11:30 a.m. to noon — Boren/Gilman/Fulbright scholarships,
Student Union Room 210; and
• 1 to 1:30 p.m. — Boren/Gilman/Fulbright scholarships,
Student Union Room 210
These workshops
are part of the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Education Abroad Fair Nov. 13. Contact the
Office of International Affairs at 615-898-2116 for more information about the
fair.
For more
information on applying for a Fulbright award or other international awards, contact
Laura Clippard at 615-898-5464, email her at Laura.Clippard@mtsu.edu or visit www.mtsu.edu/honors/ufo/index.php. She serves as academic adviser
and undergraduate fellowships coordinator for the University Honors College.
No comments:
Post a Comment