University of Rochester graduate student and alumna Jill Thorson has been named a 2007-2008 Fulbright Scholar to Spain.
Thorson will spend the academic year, which runs from October 2007 to June 2008, at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona where she will conduct research on Spanish and Catalan intonation. Upon completion of the program, Thorson intends to return to the United States and pursue a doctorate in linguistics.
Thorson, of Croydon, N.H., is pursuing her master's degree in linguistics under the supervision of Joyce McDonough, professor and chair of the Department of Linguistics. Thorson graduated in 2005 with a bachelors of arts degree in Spanish and linguistics from the College of Arts, Science, and Engineering. As an undergraduate, Thorson studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, and Oaxaca, Mexico. She also served as a member of the Equestrian Club, Intercollegiate Horse Show Team, and Phi Betta Kappa. Thorson is the first graduate student in five years to win a Fulbright.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and designed to promote mutual understanding and peace between the United States and other nations through educational and cultural exchange, the Fulbright Program offers opportunities for career-launching study, teaching, and research abroad. Scholars design their own programs and arrange institutional affiliations in the host countries. The grants cover expenses such as travel and health insurance and also provide a monthly stipend.