California State University, Fresno faculty members Thomas Witt Ellis and Dr. Miguel Perez are 2000-2001 recipients of Fulbright Scholar Grants, which allow faculty and professionals to lecture or conduct research abroad.

Ellis, an associate professor in the Department of Theatre Arts with a major discipline in theatre and dance, lectured in Taiwan on advanced acting and film acting at the National Taiwan University in Taipei.

Perez is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Science with a major discipline in education. He lectured and conducted research on substance use and abuse among adolescents in Colombia at El Bosque University in Bogota and the University of the North in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Ellis, who had been teaching at Fresno State for nine years, earned his bachelor's degree from California State University, Sacramento, and his master of fine arts from Michigan State University. While teaching in Taiwan/the Republic of China, he was honored to be appointed to direct the first main stage production at the National Taiwan University.

Ellis previously directed the first American university production to perform at the National Theatre of Nigeria and directed the only American university production to participate in the Caribbean Music and Arts Festival in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.

Perez is in his second year of teaching at Fresno State, coming here from the University of North Texas. He received his master's and doctoral degrees from Penn State University.
Perez is also the coordinator of an exchange program between the College of Health and Human Services and several institutions in Mexico. He is a member of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Research Fellow.

Approximately 800 U.S. faculty and professionals received Fulbright grants to lecture or conduct research in 140 countries around the world. The awards are highly competitive and Ellis and Perez join approximately 72,000 U.S. and foreign scholars who have participated in the program since its inception in 1946.

The Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, with additional funding coming from participating governments and host institutions in the United States and abroad.