USM alumna earns prestigious Fulbright fellowship to pursue human capital development research in Lithuania

Mon, 07/22/2019 - 03:13pm | By: Kendra Ablaza

Dr. Catherine Cole, a 2018 University of Southern Mississippi graduate of its Human Capital Development Ph.D. program, has been selected as a 2019-20 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to pursue teaching and research in Lithuania.

The Fulbright Scholar Program selects its recipients based on their academic and professional achievement and demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. Cole joins an elite group of Fulbright alumni, many who have gone on to earn Pulitzer Prizes, the Nobel Prize, and MacArthur Foundation Fellowships in their lifetimes.

Cole, who lives in Holden, Missouri, will conduct human capital development research and teach at ISM University of Management and Economics in Lithuania’s capital city Vilnius. She will pursue her research in both the United States and Lithuania, visiting the country in three separate trips from November 2019 to April 2021, specifically Vilnius’ UNESCO-listed Old Town, Užupis, and Žvėrynas neighborhoods.

Her work will center around Lithuania’s culture of entrepreneurship and the human capital needs of Lithuanian entrepreneurs. She is also working with ISM to collaborate on guest lecturer opportunities.

Cole is interested in the contrast between Lithuania’s former identity as a state under communism rule and its current efforts to expand itself as a growing economic nation. She said the country is still so early in its independence and economic development, having gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.

“There is a movement among younger Lithuanians to find ways for economic prosperity in Lithuania as opposed to taking their knowledge elsewhere,” Cole said. “Their government has put in a lot of effort towards building entrepreneurship in Lithuania in terms of its policies and resources. It understands the investment required to improve economic development and its ability to compete with other Baltic nations.”

The Fulbright U.S. Scholars program supports faculty, administrators, and other professionals such as independent scholars, artists, and journalists who pursue activities and projects that promote educational exchange and international understanding. Participants then share their findings with experts and the general public, both in their host country and United States. Nearly 470 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grants are awarded each year to U.S. professionals so they may pursue teaching, research, or combination teaching/research internationally.

Cole said her award affirms not only her research interests, but also the quality of her doctoral program. She felt more than ready to apply for a Fulbright in 2018 because the rigor and demand of the Human Capital Development doctoral program completely aligned with the high standards of a Fulbright award.

“It’s a rare honor,” Cole said. “There are other opportunities I am going to defer because a Fulbright is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s something that says to others who may want to collaborate with you, consider you for academic positions, or other research that you’ve been vetted by a highly-respected organization.”

When Cole started her application, which can take up to a year to review, she received plenty of support from the Department of Human Capital Development. Dr. Heather Annulis, associate director of USM’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professional Development and professor of Human Capital Development, encouraged Cole to apply and provided feedback on her proposal.

“The Human Capital Development faculty are very proud of Dr. Cole and look forward to the impact she will make through her research in Lithuania and beyond,” Annulis said. “Dr. Cole’s accomplishments are a result of her intellectual capability, compassion, tenacity, and hard work. She serves as an example of the success that Southern Miss graduate students achieve.”

Cole is a Training Specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Kansas City, Missouri. She is also an adjunct professor in the School of Professional and Graduate Studies at Baker University.