Fulbright Scholars cross paths, one coming to GTCC, another departing GTCC for Poland

For the third time in her career, Guilford Technical Community College writing tutor Lynn Zimmerman, Ph.D., has been named a Fulbright Scholar.

Zimmerman will travel to Poland in September to begin a year-long appointment as a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar, teaching English at the Marie Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin.

At the same time, a young Fulbright Scholar from France, Lauren Hartmann, is settling in for a year-long appointment as a French instructor at GTCC.

“This is a culmination of my career in academia and I’m very proud,” said Zimmerman, who, 15 years ago was first named a Fulbright Scholar and then, like now, taught in Poland.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers over 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects around the world. College and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields can join over 400,000 Fulbrighters who have come away with enhanced skills, new connections, and greater mutual understanding since the program began in 1947.

Each year roughly 850 faculty and professionals from around the world receive Fulbright Scholar awards for advanced research and university lecturing in the United States. Individual awards are available to scholars from over 100 countries.

Zimmerman, Professor Emerita of Education, at Purdue University, retired to North Carolina in 2013. “After 11 winters (in Indiana), I had had enough.” She has been tutoring in the Writing Center at GTCC since 2016.

Having been a Fulbright Scholar before, Zimmerman understood the process. That didn’t make it any easier, though.

“You have to apply a year in advance,” said Zimmerman. “I looked to see what was available, if there was something available in Poland. I chose the opportunity that was in the city I would like best, and I got it.

“But you have to fill out a fairly lengthy application; you have to submit lesson plans and lay out what you want to accomplish there. You go through a first vetting process and, if you make it through that, then an interview is set up.”

While Zimmerman will teach English while in Poland, it is much more than a working trip for her.

“One of the things that attracts me is it’s a university placement. I want to work in that atmosphere,” said Zimmerman. “Part of it is I’m not just going as a tourist, but becoming a part of the fabric, getting to know the students, getting to know my colleagues, what holidays they celebrate, what food they eat. Going as a tourist is not that satisfying to me. I want to stay there for a while.”

Zimmerman also plans to spread the word of GTCC’s mission while engaging with Polish citizens.

“I will do some presentations that involve GTCC. They really don’t have community colleges in Poland. They cover that in high school. But that is something I can bring to the community while I’m there. I think it is a wonderful program North Carolina has that I can share,” said Zimmerman.

Recently retired GTCC faculty member Carol Schmid was the school’s first Fulbright Scholar serving in Poland, Taiwan, and Latvia during her long tenure at the college. She was also GTCC’s Fulbright liaison for many years, recruiting GTCC faculty and staff to become Fulbright Scholars abroad.

Hartmann, who graduated from Aix-Marseille University two years ago, spent last year teaching in Canada, and after a brief return to her native France, was awarded the Fulbright scholarship for the 2024-25 school year. She is the first Fulbright to come and teach at GTCC.

She admits GTCC was a bit of an unknown to her, but once she got on the ground in North Carolina, she realized it was a solid pick.

“In the end, I’m very happy to be here. In my choices, I had a university in New York. When I got here someone was talking about how expensive New York is and how busy it is. I’m really glad to be here,” said Hartmann.

Everyone, Hartmann said, has made her feel welcome and offered great support as she finds her footing in not just a new college, but a new country.

“The staff has been very helpful and welcoming,” said Hartmann. “I don’t have a (driver’s) license, and they all are like I can drive you. People have been driving me everywhere. If I need help with anything, they are there. I basically have to learn everything here. I’m very grateful.”