Community Voice
PNW Fulbright scholar to discuss teaching in Africa
Before he departed in 2015 on his nine-month excursion to teach students in western Africa as a Fulbright student scholar, Merrillville native Jonathon Wilson said, “Even though I'll be the teacher, I know I'm going to learn a lot from my students.”
Wilson plans to share what he learned and more during two presentations he will make at Purdue University Northwest campuses. The first is at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Hammond Campus, Gyte Science Building, Room 107; and at 6 .m,) and at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Westville Campus, Schwarz Hall, Room 107. Admission is free.
The 2015 Purdue Calumet history graduate is believed to be the only student from either PNW campus to receive the prestigious Fulbright Student Award. Wilson persisted through a rigorous and competitive application process to gain acceptance into the United States' flagship educational exchange program.
As a Fulbright scholar, Wilson taught secondary education in the nation of Cote d'Ivoire, and also traveled to several other African nations.
As a Purdue Calumet student, he made two previous international trips, to Nicaragua as a study abroad student and to Tanzania as a McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program scholar.
Wilson also was active in the university's Social Justice Club, Black Student Union, Los Latinos and Brother to Brother organizations, having served as president of the former two.
Now a schoolteacher in Chicago, Wilson remains active in social justice initiatives.
Wilson's upcoming presentations are being hosted by Purdue Northwest's Multicultural Campus Council, Brother to Brother, National Society of Black Engineers and the Black Student Union.
Playing a key role in that success has been former 25-year program director and current professor Joseph Wetchler, who recently received the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy's 2016 Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award.
Wetchler, an AAMFT clinical fellow and approved supervisor, directed the graduate program from 1988 through 2013. He advanced a rigorous and high-quality program of study by requiring students to complete a thesis as a graduation requirement. Wetchler continues to teach and routinely encourages students to publish papers written for class in peer-reviewed journals.
Wetchler is associate editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, former editor of the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, and he serves on the editorial boards of several other professional journals.
He has written or edited nine books, 63 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 16 book chapters. He also has made 96 presentations at national, state and local conferences. Additionally, several textbooks he's written routinely are used as required MFT program reading.
Eleven PNW marriage and family therapy students also were recognized at the AAMFT conference. Bridget Sanchez, of Highland, received a Student Research Award and Gisela Leija, of Troy, Mich., a master's Thesis Award.
Selected for entry into the AAMFT Minority Fellowship Program, which provides training and financial support to students who desire to further their skills working with underrepresented and underserved populations, are Angelique Foye and Bailey Mack, of Griffith; Song Paik, of Merrillville; Rachel Moore, of Festus, Mo.; Shelby Manning, of Bolingbrook, Ill.; Brogan Crosby, of Highland; Sydney Ray, of Birmingham, Ala.; Stephanie Sullivan, of Ortonville, Mich.; and John Wall, of Munster.
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