Arlene Brock named Fulbright Scholar

U.S. Consul General Bob Settje announced today that the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission has selected former Bermuda Ombudsman Arlene Brock for a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. 

Ms. Brock will spend a semester at the Northeastern School of Law in Boston, where she will participate in faculty colloquia and write a paper on “Exploring the Frontiers of the Ombudsman Institution.”

Her paper will survey the appetite and ability of Ombudsmen worldwide to undertake complaints about internationally funded programs within their countries.

Consul General Settje commented, “I could not be more thrilled with Arlene’s selection – to our knowledge the first-ever Fulbright awarded to a Bermudian.  During my time in Bermuda, I have developed great respect and admiration for her both as an individual and as a public servant.  She stands out among her peers as a person who places ethics at the forefront of all she does.  She is superbly prepared by both education and experience to become part of the Fulbright family.  This is a great day not just for Arlene but for Bermuda, as well.  We at the Consulate are proud to have supported her candidacy.”

Commenting on the award, Ms. Brock said, “I am deeply honored to be awarded this opportunity. I am looking forward to working with the Law School at Northeastern University, which places a high premium on international human rights standards and principles. Hopefully, my paper will provide a preliminary template for how national Ombudsmen can assist international institutions and other funders to monitor projects on the ground.”

The Fulbright Program, created in 1946 for the purpose of increasing understanding between the United States and other countries through academic and cultural exchange, is one of the most prestigious and respected exchange programs in the world, operating in more than 150 countries with over 300,000 alumni.  

Notable Fulbrighters include Nobel Prize winners Henry Kissinger, Milton Friedman, and Joseph Stiglitz; Pulitzer Prize winners Sylvia Plath and John Updike; former Secretary General of the United Nations, Boutrous Boutrous Ghali; Ivy Durmont, Governor General of the Bahamas (2001-2005); and U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.