Ithaca resident Abowd wins Fulbright for Egyptian studies

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Ithaca resident and 2008 Boston College graduate Maryclaire C. Abowd is the recipient of a Fulbright Student Scholarship awarded by the U.S. State Department. Abowd, who graduated cum laude from Boston College on May 19 with a bachelor of arts degree in international studies, will travel to Egypt for one year of post-baccalaureate study.

"My [Fulbright] project will use ethnographic and sociological methods to determine the perceptions of aging among upper-middle-class elders in Egypt. I will focus on the types of institutions, organizations and programs available for the elderly as the proportion of elderly in the population increases and average age of death rises," said Abowd, who served as treasurer for BC's Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies Student Association.

Abowd plans to pursue a doctorate in anthropology or Near Eastern Studies.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is America's flagship international educational exchange program. Operating in more than 155 countries worldwide, the Fulbright Program provides students, scholars and teachers with the opportunity to exchange ideas and to observe other countries' political, economic, educational and cultural institutions. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.