Dr. Blackburn is currently a Professor of History in the ULM College of Arts, Education, and Sciences. Ewa Blackburn is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at ULM. “This award is an amazing opportunity to advance a number of my academic pursuits,” said Dr. Chris Blackburn. “Personally, this scholarship will be a profound opportunity to strengthen my connection to both the language and rich cultural tapestry of my family,” said Ewa Blackburn.
The scholarship will cover all books and tuition as well as room and board while the Blackburns study at the School of Polish Language and Culture at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, over the course of six weeks in the summer of 2025.
NAWA is dedicated to fostering international collaboration in science and higher education. Dr. Chris Blackburn has devoted much of his time to the study of the fight against disease in early twentieth-century Poland and Eastern Europe. Ewa Blackburn, meanwhile, earned her MA from the University of Louisiana Monroe, for which she wrote a thesis entitled “For Our Freedom, And Yours: The Contributions of the Polish Carpathian Brigade to the Allied War Effort During the Second World War.”
“Overall, this opportunity will enable me to seamlessly integrate teaching, research, and professional development during my time in Poland, leading to expanded research opportunities and enhanced courses for our students,” said Dr. Chris Blackburn.