Photo by Justin D. Knight

NAME
Florence Maher

AGE
24

HOMETOWN
Hillsboro, Oregon

MAJORS
Political Science and Economics

WHY THE FULBRIGHT?
I view the Fulbright as a chance to synthesize my academic interests of the past few years and transition into graduate study or
professional life. Rita Dove said it best: "Fulbright was the hinge that opened up the world for me."

WHY GERMANY?
I have strong ties to Germany and Poland and have been interested in German reunification and EU expansion issues for a number of years. It was natural to seek the confluence of these topics. My German is far better than my Polish, and there was a German university uniquely focused on what I wanted to study located right on the German-Polish border. Germany seemed the ideal host for my project.

WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO STUDY?
Social integration on the German-Polish border.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
I'm interested in the fluidity of supposedly "impermeable" ethnic and linguistic boundaries and the ability of political institutions and economic incentives to alternately knit communities together or tear them apart.

WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS?
International affairs practitioner