Education Beat: Celebrating Excellence—Clark Professors Earn Fulbright Honors
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Now onto the headline: Worcester’s got two new reasons to be proud. Two Clark University professors—Dr. Jie Park and Dr. Michael Bamberg—have just landed prestigious Fulbright Scholar awards for 2026. This is Worcester on the map, in the best way.
Such recognitions are essential for sharing vital Worcester education updates with the community.
These milestones reflect the ongoing Worcester education updates that highlight our local talents.
“Changing the World Starts Right Here”: The Fulbright Difference
Dr. Park’s contributions will definitely enhance the Worcester education updates we share.
As we explore new methods, we aim to include them in our Worcester education updates.
This innovative approach will be part of our future Worcester education updates.
We will document these efforts in upcoming Worcester education updates.
Let’s break it down. The Fulbright Scholar Program is kind of a big deal. Every year, hundreds of educators and researchers head abroad to teach, to learn, and to connect. Earning that spot means you stand out—locally, nationally, and globally.
And now, two of Clark’s finest are heading overseas to teach and do research that’ll ripple out way past Massachusetts.
Meet Dr. Jie Park: Champion for Language, Literacy, and Youth Voices
Dr. Jie Park isn’t your typical professor. She’s all about stories, especially the ones that don’t always hit the textbooks. Raised partly in South Korea, Park’s journey took her from the classrooms of Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania straight into the heart of immigrant youth communities in Philly and the Bronx. She knows what it’s like to move between languages, between cultures, and between expectations.
Dr. Park’s work represents a key highlight in our Worcester education updates.
This spring, Dr. Park is heading back to South Korea as a Fulbright Scholar. Her latest project, “Poetry translation and critical English language teaching,” flips the script on traditional language education. Imagine students translating poetry from across the world, not just to learn new words, but to unlock new ways of thinking. It’s creative, it’s hands-on, and it’s about connection.
She’ll be holding workshops and seminars for grad students and English teachers at Korea University and Sogang University, using a program called Poetry Inside Out (PIO). Here’s what Dr. Park says about it:“In PIO, translation is an interpretive and creative act that facilitates language acquisition and critical literacy.”
Professor Bamberg’s stories will also enrich the Worcester education updates we share.
His experiences will contribute significantly to the Worcester education updates.
This is another story that will feature in our Worcester education updates.
Translation isn’t just about swapping words; it’s about finding your voice, building confidence, and bridging cultures. Dr. Park will also be studying how English teachers in Korea bring critical, creative methods into their classrooms. She hopes this project will help shape a new theory of translation as a tool for both learning and self-expression, a framework she’s championed for years.
A few more things you should know about Dr. Park:
- Winner of the Spencer Foundation/National Academy of Education Postdoc Fellowship
- Author of “Learning about Academic Literacies from Urban Immigrant Youth” (Routledge, 2018)
- Recognized across the country for pushing forward the conversation on multilingual, multicultural learning
But for her, this Fulbright means more than all the accolades. “I am looking forward to the challenges and rewards of living, working, and learning in South Korea—a country where I spent my childhood.”
We want to ensure snippets of his journey become part of our Worcester education updates.
His insights will shape future Worcester education updates.
Professor Michael Bamberg: Building Bridges through Storytelling and Psychology
Ever met someone who can break down the power of a good story, not just to tell it, but to show you how it makes you, well, you? That’s Professor Michael Bamberg. He’s spent decades at Clark after picking up degrees in Germany, England, and California, and his research centers on how we use stories (even the little, off-the-cuff ones) to make sense of who we are.
In 2026, Bamberg is taking his expertise to Poland as a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar at Adam Mickiewicz University. This isn’t his first time heading to Poland: he was there as a Fulbrighter back in 2020, but that trip was cut short by COVID. Now he’s back and ready for round two.
Here’s what he’ll be diving into:
As we recognize these achievements, we will continue sharing Worcester education updates.
Every success story from Clark adds to the Worcester education updates we proudly present.
- Collaborating with top scholars on narrative, identity, and change—especially around how stories shape communities and personal growth.
- Teaching his signature course, “Qualitative Theory & Analysis,” to grad students at AMU.
- Helping to launch a Qualitative Lab for Discourse and Narrative Analytics—a place for researchers in the humanities and social sciences to connect, analyze, and make meaning together.
We’ll be celebrating these moments in our Worcester education updates.
Let’s ensure that every highlight gets featured in the Worcester education updates.
Bamberg isn’t just bringing his knowledge to Poland. He’s bringing Worcester—and a network of local insight, students, and colleagues—with him. As president of the Society for Qualitative Inquiry in Psychology, he’s shaping national conversations and making sure Worcester’s voice is in the mix.
Here’s how he put it: “Receiving the Fulbright Award for a second time… indicates something like a high point of my scholarly activities—being recognized nationally as well as internationally.”
These contributions matter and should be included in our Worcester education updates.
Every tip you provide helps us report on Worcester education updates more effectively.
(And yes, this time around, he plans to brush up on counting in Polish before he gets there.)
Clark Faculty on the Global Stage
Both Professor Park and Professor Bamberg represent the best of Clark, but also the best of what Worcester’s educational community can offer. Their Fulbright honors mean new ideas, partnerships, and experiences coming back right here—directly enriching local classrooms and the city as a whole.
As Associate Provost Jennifer A. Hanselman put it, “These awards are a testament to the depth and rigor of their scholarship, and they reflect the values articulated in Clark’s mission—academic excellence, global engagement, and a commitment to meaningful change.”
Over the years, more than 40 Clark faculty have received Fulbrights. This year, they’re in some impressive company, with Fulbright winners in fields from geography to museum studies. But the real win is for Worcester, as these stories come back home and fuel the next round of local achievement.
Let’s Celebrate Our Local Stars—And Find the Next Ones
This is what Education Beat is all about. We want to amplify good news from right here in Worcester. If your school has something to brag about, if you know a kid doing their thing in sports, art, STEM, community service, or leadership—let us know! (Just make sure parents/guardians are on board if you’re nominating a student.)
Ready to submit?
- Email your story, photo, or school news tip to the team at What’s Up Worcester.
- Tell us what makes this moment (or this person!) shine.
- We’ll reach out if your submission is picked for a feature.
Stay tuned—every week, we’ll have updates from schools, colleges, and youth programs across the Worcester area. It’s about the faces in our classrooms, the voices in our neighborhoods, and the headlines we make together.
Article sources/credits: Content adapted and inspired by Clark University’s recent news release: Park, Bamberg named Fulbright Scholars.
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