UW’s Roberts Receives Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Grant to Costa Rica

Amy Roberts, an associate professor in the University of Wyoming's School of Teacher Education, is the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) grant to Costa Rica. Roberts is currently leading 11 Fulbright-Hays GPA program participants for eight weeks this summer through July 26.

"Spanish GPA 2024 in Costa Rica" is an intensive community-based Spanish language and culture grant program designed to enhance participants' language proficiency and promote knowledge and understanding of Central America in a global context.

Participants are studying the Spanish language and culture in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and immersing themselves in the local culture through interaction with local citizens and service projects. Participants also will travel some weekends to learn more about coastal Costa Rican culture, geography and history.

"I am honored with my co-directors to receive a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant to do important work in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and I am especially pleased to have the opportunity to work with colleagues, locals, educators and program participants from different backgrounds in Monteverde on this," Roberts says. "From my personal perspective, such grant projects contribute to the important work we do as educators and the mission of Fulbright. We are looking forward to seeing participants' Spanish language and culture skills enhance over the eight weeks this summer."

Program-associated costs paid through the GPA grant -- sponsored by the International and Foreign Language Education office in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education -- include international travel to and from San Jose, Costa Rica; tuition and homestay accommodations during the duration of the program; weekend study tours; and program-related transportation in Costa Rica. The program also sponsors lunches for participants to meet with other faculty and co-directors for assessment and research purposes to advance the field with those participants who provide their consent.

To be selected for the GPA summer program, applicants from different UW departments and universities in the Mountain West had to submit various materials, including indicating interest in the project or location and describing how it would help reach their professional goals; a summary of coursework in Spanish and any demonstrated research or additional projects in the Spanish language; an outlined proposal for a Spanish-English, field-based study project of choice; a copy of a recent Spanish language test taken or a paper written in Spanish; and two letters of reference.

Roberts has focused her 23 years of educational experience with both children and adults from many regions around the world. She has helped design courses and projects for students to examine global events and challenges of the contemporary era.

In addition to the U.S., she has lived, taught and conducted field research in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Myanmar, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand. She completed two 11-month Fulbright award programs in Taiwan and Myanmar, along with an 11-month U.S. Department of State fellowship at Mandalay University in Myanmar.

Roberts' area of expertise is international comparative education aligned with ideologies that inform the globalization and internationalization of academic communities worldwide. Her focus evolved from a Fulbright award in 2007-08 to lecture and conduct research at the National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan. Nearly all of her students were from various Asian nations other than Taiwan.

She has served on many UW committees and has supported domestic and international students through her mentorship. Roberts has successfully led 12 educator and pre-service teacher groups on international study tours that included field research, curriculum development and intensive language study.

Roberts also has organized student researcher groups to examine the impact of globalization and internationalization within university communities, emphasizing strategies that strengthen research capacity.

About the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program

The program promotes, improves and develops modern foreign language training and area studies programs for all levels of American education.

It provides opportunities for faculty, teachers and undergraduate and graduate students to conduct individual and group projects overseas. Projects may include short-term seminars, curriculum development, group research or study, or long-term advanced intensive language programs.

The GPA program at UW is administered by the USA Cultural Exchange Programs and the UW College of Education's School of Teacher Education, with on-site coordination and logistical support by Roberts and co-Directors Dilnoza Khasilova, assessment specialist for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning initiative in UW's Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning, and Jonle Sedar, director of the Centro Panamericano de Idiomas Spanish Immersion School in Costa Rica.

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