University of Nevada, Reno Professor Rafik Beekun is now able to add another Fulbright Award to his already expansive list of accomplishments. Beekun, a professor in the College of Business' Managerial Sciences Department whose expertise involves strategic and international management, business ethics and leadership, will travel to Turkey next year as a Fulbright Scholar.

The goal of the Fulbright Program is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. It is one of the most prestigious award programs worldwide.

"This represents a golden opportunity to teach and research in an amazing country, as well as to learn from a totally different culture," Beekun said. "It will also allow me to share what is best about our great country with others."

Beekun received his first Fulbright Award for the 1999‐2000 academic year, which he spent at the University of Mauritius in Reduit, near Madagascar.

The Fulbright Program, which is made possible through funds appropriated annually by the U.S. Congress, as well as funds from private sectors, awards approximately 8,000 grants annually.

The program allows United States students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists to apply for scholarships to study, conduct research or exercise their talents abroad. It also allows qualifying individuals from other countries to do likewise here in the United States.

Over the course of seven months, Beekun, who has written four books and been published in many academic journals,  will be teaching corporate strategy and business ethics at the undergraduate and graduate levels while also working on joint research projects with the Graduate School of Social Sciences at Istanbul Commerce University.

"My extensive teaching background in management with a focus on applied business ethics, strategy and leadership in a global context, as well as my current research on comparative, cross‐cultural ethics, will enable me to work collaboratively with my Turkish colleagues so that we can develop teaching material that will fit Turkey's needs," Beekun said.

Senator William Fulbright, who died in 1995, wanted to establish an international exchange program using funds from selling United States surplus war equipment, and as such, the Fulbright Program took on his name. He reasoned that in order to settle the aftermath of World War II, this program could serve as an advocate for peace through educational exchange.

"The Fulbright Program aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship," said Fulbright.

Since the Fulbright Program began in 1946, approximately 310,000 individuals have participated in the program. Among them, 43 have received Nobel Prizes, and 78 have received the Pulitzer Prize. Countless other Fulbright Scholars have become heads of states, judges, ambassadors, CEOs and university presidents.

For more information on the Fulbright Award, go to us.fulbrightonline.org.