John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

   

New York, NY, April 25, 2011 – Julia Szendro, a senior in the CUNY BA program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has been awarded a prestigious J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship to study in Hungary. Ms. Szendro joins the ranks of distinguished Fulbright scholars that include heads of state, ambassadors as well as prominent CEO's, journalists and artists.

As Fulbright Fellow, Ms. Zendro, 21, will study at-risk youth in Hungary who may become homeless or resort to criminal activity. Her research will focus on a new generation that is coming of age twenty years after the collapse of the eastern bloc Born in Hungary, Ms. Szendro and her family immigrated to New York when she was one year old.

"I have always been interested in the criminal justice system and people who are disadvantaged. But, I would not have applied for the Fulbright without support of Professor Staci Strobl (her faculty mentor)", said Ms. Szendro.

"Julia is an amazingly committed and bright student. It has been a delight to work with Julia as she crafted a socially engaged education that will prepare her for a bright future as a reform-minded scholar, activist, and engaged citizen of the world. Calling it "Criminal Justice/Social Justice" her major involved a variety of courses from disciplines such as criminal justice, psychology, sociology, philosophy, anthropology and corrections. She embodies the interdisciplinary and international spirit of the Fulbright Program and I am extremely proud of all her achievements," said John Jay Professor Staci Strobl of the Law & Police Science Department, who has served as Ms. Szendro's faculty mentor in the CUNY Baccalaureate Program.

Drawn to issues of social justice at an early age, Ms. Szendro has been involved in many volunteer programs. After graduating from high school, she helped to build a house in Nicaragua with a cultural exchange program. Earlier this year, she returned to Nicaragua as a group leader and built another house for a needy family. She has interned at the ACQC Long Island City Needle Exchange Program and is currently an intern in the re-entry department at Housing Works.

After graduation, she plans to sharpen her Hungarian language skills and prepare for her time as Fulbright Fellow.

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship, sponsored by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the U.S. government's flagship international exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 300,000 participants from over 155 countries with the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Established in 1964, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York is an international leader in educating for justice. It offers a rich liberal arts and professional studies curriculum to upwards of 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 135 nations. In teaching and research, the College approaches justice as an applied art in service to society and as an ongoing conversation about fundamental human desires for fairness, equality and the rule of law. For more information, visit www.jjay.cuny.edu.