Channeling Cambodia
6/20/2023
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Saphan Awarded Fulbright U.S. Scholar Fellowship
The work never stops for the talented members of the Mount’s faculty.
Whether they’re offering extra office hours to aid a struggling student, finding innovative new ways to present topics in the classroom, giving their time to advise a club or student interest group, or conducting in-depth research of their own, Mount professors work around the clock.
And this year, the College is proud to announce that Associate Professor of Sociology LinDa Saphan has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Dr. Saphan will travel to Cambodia in January 2024 to continue her research on Cambodian cinema. A visual artist, her work has been included in several collective exhibitions in Southeast Asia, France, and the United States. Additionally, her research endeavors include identity and culture in Southeast Asia, ethnography, and ethnicity and gender issues among Khmer-Americans.
“I am the second Cambodian-American scholar to receive this prestigious award for research and teaching in Cambodia—and the first Cambodian-American woman,” remarked Dr. Saphan. “Representation matters, and I hope that seeing a Cambodian woman secure such a distinguished grant will encourage young women—especially my students—to continue on to graduate school and pursue careers in research.”
Released in 2014, Dr. Saphan is the associate producer of the documentary film Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll. And just this past July, she published her latest book entitled Faded Reels: The Art of Four Cambodian Filmmakers.
“My research is specifically on Cambodian cinema and, thus, Cambodia is the best and only match for my research project,” Dr. Saphan reflected. “With no academic or general sources to turn to for information on the history of Cambodian cinema of the 1980s and 1990s, this type of research has to be done in the country itself.”
Fulbright Scholar Awards are prestigious and competitive fellowships that provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbright scholars also play a critical role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program is primarily funded by Congress with additional funding from participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries. The Program is directed by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and administered by the Institute of International Education. Yet, the success of the Fulbright Program depends in large part on the support provided by higher education partners—like the University of Mount Saint Vincent.
Dr. Saphan is among over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Scholars engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange.
The Mount’s Fulbright Scholar Liaison and Fulbright alumna herself, Associate Professor of Business and Economics Teresita Ramirez, is ecstatic to have a colleague win one of this year’s awards:
“I would like to commend Dr. Saphan for her years of dedication to the people of Cambodia, as well as her involvement in the greater Mount community. She certainly lives out the College’s motto of ‘Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge’ both within and beyond the classroom, and I am excited to hear more about her research and travels when she returns.”
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential—with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world. Each year, more than 800 U.S. scholars teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Mount Saint Vincent is honored to have Dr. Saphan named as one of this year’s awardees.
“As a mid-career woman of color and an immigrant, I am delighted to be a cultural ambassador for the U.S. through the Fulbright Program,” said Dr. Saphan. “To have the face of American achievement be that of a Cambodian woman demonstrates that America is indeed a land of immigrants where all dreams are welcome—just like the Mount!”
On behalf of the entire Mount Saint Vincent community, we would like to again congratulate Dr. Saphan on her award.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.