Emma Sepúlveda Pulvirenti has even more to be thankful for this holiday season. President Barack Obama has announced four individuals appointed to administration posts, including Sepúlveda, the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ Foundation Professor in Foreign Language and Literature and director of the Latino Research Center.
In the White House announcement, President Obama said, "I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have decided to serve our country. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."
Sepúlveda has been appointed to the 12-member , which selects students, scholars, teachers and others from the United States and abroad to participate in Fulbright exchanges, an international educational exchange program for grantees to study, teach or conduct research.
"It's a wonderful honor to be nominated to the Fulbright Commission by President Obama," Sepúlveda said. "I am grateful to be among so many great leaders and take this appointment seriously; the Fulbright Program is one near and dear to my heart."
Sepúlveda was born in Argentina and raised in Chile. In 1995, Sepúlveda founded Latinos for Political Education, advocating for civic engagement by members of the Latino community. She has been a member on the boards of United Way, the Girl Scouts, Habitat for Humanity and KNPB, the local public television station. Sepulveda served as a Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino from 2009 to 2011.
"This is wonderful news," Kevin Carman, University executive vice president and provost, said. "Emma continues to bring great honor to all of us."
Sepúlveda has been a Foundation Professor at the University since 2004, and will continue in this role as she fulfills her duties with the Fulbright Board. She is a two-time winner of the International Latino Book Award, author of more than 25 books, including works of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, literary criticism and textbooks. She was a former columnist for the Reno Gazette-Journal and the Spanish newspaper, Ahora. Sepúlveda received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Latin American Literature from the University, and a doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis.
"This is another accolade for a wonderful ambassador of our land-grant University," Marcelo F. Vazquez, associate dean of students, said. "Congratulations to Emma."
On the board, Sepúlveda will join the other members for quarterly meetings to establish policies for Fulbright selection and operating procedures and will prepare an annual report. The board works closely with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. embassies, bilateral Fulbright Commissions in host countries and the U.S. Department of Educations' International and Foreign Language Office of Postsecondary Education.
The four individuals appointed to the administration posts announced Nov. 25, 2014, are:
- John P. Bilbrey - Member, Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
- Brian Greenspun - Member, Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad
- Andrés W. López - General Trustee, Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Emma Sepúlveda - Member, J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board
