BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Elizabeth Bellows, associate professor of social studies education in Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education, is the awardee of a 2023–24 Fulbright, which supports her upcoming research project “Teaching Amidst the War: Refugee Experiences in Romanian Schools.”

Beginning in October, Bellows will spend nine months in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, where she will engage in cross-cultural research, gathering information from teachers, students and families — including refugees from Ukraine. Her aim is to tell their stories of navigating the effects of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war.

For over 75 years, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants — chosen for their academic merit as well as leadership potential — the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

“Narratives are at the heart of how we construct history, and telling our stories is the mechanism for prioritizing humanity, understanding difference and growing empathy,” said Bellows.

Bellows said she hopes her project can offer “a contemporary global perspective on the effects of war on schools and communities in neighboring countries, amplifying the voices of teachers and youth in order to inform future research or curriculum development about teaching during times of war.”

The appointment will be a return to the Transylvanian region of Romania for Bellows, who lived and conducted research there in 2011 as part of a study abroad program. Her research explored the civic identities expressed by Hungarian and Romanian youths. She also taught and mentored graduate students in the field of qualitative research.

About Dr. Elizabeth Bellows

As a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Bellows teaches courses on social studies and teacher education methods in App State’s elementary and middle grades programs. She has taught undergraduate courses in secondary social studies methods, classroom management, assessment and lesson design, along with graduate courses in assessment and elementary mathematics methods and curriculum theory in the university’s doctoral program in educational leadership.

Her research broadly investigates intersections of critical social studies and teacher education, historical research as it relates to social studies education, and international inquiry about social studies education in Romania.

Bellows has served as the Reich College of Education’s Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence, and from 2018 to 2022 she was a coordinator on App State’s Inclusive Excellence Team.

She currently serves on the Faculty Advisory Board for the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies at App State and is co-founder of the annual Elementary Social Studies Education National Summit, established in 2019.

Bellows has published five book chapters as well as numerous articles, which have appeared in the peer-reviewed journals Social Studies and the Young Learner, Social Studies Research and Practice, and the Journal of International Social Studies, among others. She is co-editor of the book “Re(imagining) Elementary Social Studies Education: A Controversial Issues Reader.”

For information about how to apply for faculty and staff Fulbright awards, as well as more information regarding international scholarship assistance, visit the Office of International Education and Development website.

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App State Fulbright support

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and was created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

At App State, the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is supported by the Office of International Education and Development (OIED) and Office of Research, and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is facilitated through the university’s Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, a unit within University College.

According to OIED, the Fulbright Program’s benefits include:

• Academic exchange with colleagues and students in other countries.
• Exchange of knowledge with the Appalachian Community upon return.
• Development of stronger intercultural communication skills.
• Broader understanding of and empathy for other cultures.

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App State has been named a Top Producer of Fulbright students and scholars for 2022–23, with two faculty and four alumni receiving a Fulbright to teach, perform research and/or study abroad. This marks the third time the university has received this honor in the past four academic years.

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About the Reich College of Education

Appalachian State University offers one of the largest undergraduate teacher preparation programs in North Carolina, graduating about 500 teachers a year. The Reich College of Education enrolls more than 2,000 students in its bachelor's, master's, education specialist and doctoral degree programs. With so many teacher education graduates working in the state, there is at least one RCOE graduate teaching in every county in North Carolina. Learn more at https://rcoe.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.