The connection between the professor and the IEAS dates back to 2024, when the Institute of English and American Studies at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen hosted an international conference to mark the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the 1924 U.S. Immigration Act. That prominent professional event attracted participants from all over the world and one of the plenary speakers invited for the academic gathering was Ashley Johnson Bavery, who ended up delivering her presentation online rather than in person.
Her relationship with our university and its English-American institute continued through years of collaborative scholarly research until, finally, a successful grant application enabled the professor to spend a semester in Debrecen as a visiting lecturer. At present, she is supported by a Fulbright scholarship provided for those holding the prestigious Országh Chair, while she also delivers regular talks and lectures at several other Hungarian universities.
László Országh Distinguished Chair in American Studies is a prestigious Fulbright fellowship that brings widely recognized American university faculty and researchers, who are experts in their respective fields, to Hungary to teach at local institutions of higher education and thus contribute to the development of American Studies programs in Hungary.
- Our institute has been in close contact with the Hungarian Fulbright Commission since its inception. In fact, our esteemed colleagues Professor Donald E. Morse and Professor Zoltán Abádi-Nagy both played a significant part in launching and making the Hungarian program successful. Fulbright scholarships are considered a premier form of support for American studies globally and, within it, there is an even more distinct category named after Professor László Országh, whose figure is connected to the University of Debrecen with so many ties- said Balázs Venkovits, Director of the Institute of English and American Studies (IEAS) at the University of Debrecen, to hirek.unideb.hu.
Ashley Johnson Bavery’s primary field of interest is the history of migration, specifically emigration from East-Central and Southern Europe to the United States, with a further specialization in the history of illegal or unauthorized migration.
- It is a wonderful experience for me to teach my classes day after day by entering the university’s beautiful Main Building. Indeed, I get to teach history within a historical setting and also from a truly international perspective, as the students who attend my course are from a variety of countries making up the university’s international student community. This does create a unique atmosphere during the classes- said Professor Bavery, summarizing her experience so far.
The members of the management of the Institute of English and American Studies are convinced that it is essential to have native speakers of English among the instructors on the one hand, and to make sure that students have the opportunity to receive authentic and cutting-edge insights from renowned American researchers in specific fields. Apart from improving the quality of the program, this also opens up international opportunities for the students.
The visiting professor and the UD institute are also planning to launch a joint course offered by the University of Debrecen and Eastern Michigan University. In its first stage, American and Hungarian students would work together in virtual space, while a real-life student conference held in Debrecen would provide an opportunity for them to meet in person. This could then establish a long-term partnership, eventually facilitating student exchanges between the two institutions.
Press Centre – BZs