ASU graduate receives Fulbright Scholarship

A May graduate was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of Muenster in Germany.

Mark Lockard, a 2002 political science graduate, discovered he received the distinction May 15.

“I was dumbfounded, I couldn’t believe it,” Lockhard said of receiving the scholarship. “On a personal level, it’s a culmination of what my dad has taught me through the years–to get a good education.

“It’s also an opportunity to represent the country and the university, to share what I’ve learned, and exchange knowledge and information with another culture,” he said.

While in Germany, Lockard will study political science and research how other countries conduct their renewable energy programs.

The prestigious and highly competitive Fulbright Program supports educational exchanges that strengthen understanding and communication between the United States and more than 140 nations.

To receive the Fulbright Scholarship, students are interviewed on campus, then their application goes to a national search committee, then to a final selection committee at the country to which the applicant is applying for study, in this case, Germany. There were 700 applications for study in Germany, of which 70 were selected.

“The Fulbright program is highly competitive,” said Paul Harris, assistant professor of political science and campus advisor for the Fulbright program. “Our candidate was particularly strong.”

Lockard applied for the scholarship in October 2001 by submitting a biography, three letters of recommendation, and his grant proposal on renewable energy policy. A native of Martinez, he graduated from Evans High School in 1996. He is the son of Maria and the late Melvin Lockard of Martinez.