Fulbright award takes Rice’s Adria Baker to South Korea

Last month Rice’s Adria Baker spent two weeks in South Korea as one of only eight international education administration leaders from around the U.S. selected to be a member of a Fulbright delegation.

Adria Baker, right, associate vice provost for international education and executive director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, met with President of Hanyan University -- and Rice alum -- Duck-Ho Lim '87 during her travels in South Korea as a member of a Fulbright American International Education Administrators delegation.

Baker, associate vice provost for international education and executive director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, was a recipient of a Fulbright award under the U.S. Korea International Education Administrators Program from the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

From June 9 to 22, the delegation visited 11 universities and colleges, two top high schools, historic sites and various government agencies, including the U.S. Embassy, and attended cultural events. The group obtained in-depth knowledge about South Korea’s higher education system and had an opportunity to establish networks of U.S. and international colleagues.

“A highlight was meeting the president of Hanyang University, a Rice alum who graduated in 1987 with a doctoral degree in economics,” Baker said. “He and his university staff truly rolled out the ‘red carpet’ for us. Although all of the places treated us like VIPs (and Korean hospitality is always outstanding), President Duck-Ho Lim was incredibly generous. I loved to hear him talk about his love of being a Rice Owl and how proud he is of Rice.”

The International Education Administrators seminars program helps international education professionals and senior higher education officials from the United States create empowering connections with the societal, cultural and higher education systems of other countries. Each year the U.S. sends eight delegates to South Korea, and South Korea sends eight to the U.S. The group was hosted by the Korea-U.S. Educational Commission, which is in partnership with the U.S. Fulbright Commission.