Cornell University Freshman Richmond Wong of Rowland Heights Chosen for Fulbright Summer Institute

ITHACA, NY (05/31/2011)(readMedia)-- Cornell University freshman Richmond Wong of Rowland Heights, California, has been awarded a place in a Fulbright Summer Institute, one of the most selective summer scholarship programs in the world. He will study at at Roehampton University in London.

Roehampton University Summer Institute participants participate in academic and cultural programs that investigate concepts of citizenship and identity and explore the culture of the United Kingdom. In addition to volunteer activities, participants complete a group project on human rights and citizenship.

Wong says he is looking forward to gaining a more global perspective on cultural issues in science. "I hope to share what I learn with people back in the U.S.," he says.

Wong plans to major in Science and Technology Studies at Cornell. He is involved in undergraduate research in the Information Science Department, studying how technology can help users reflect on their lives and have a greater feeling of organization. He also participates in the Cornell University Program Board, assisting with productions featuring comedians, speakers, and other presenters, and Wind Symphony as a clarinet player.

Created by treaty in 1948, the US-UK Fulbright Commission is part of the Fulbright programme conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange.

Previous participants in the Fulbright Commission include Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman, Emmy Award winner John Lithgow, and poet Sylvia Plath.