Professor of Music Named Fulbright Specialist

by Victoria Stearns, Public Relations Writer – September 2, 2015

John Mortensen, D.M.A., has been selected to the Fulbright Specialist Roster.

The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP) has named John Mortensen, D.M.A., professor of music, to its roster for 2015-16. Mortensen will perform and teach American jazz for the special program. 

“I am deeply grateful for the support and encouragement of my academic colleagues,” said Mortensen. “These potential overseas adventures will allow me to bring an international perspective to the study of music at Cedarville University.”


FSP awards grants to U.S. faculty members and professors to connect qualified U.S. professionals with their overseas counterparts. Grant payments are funded through the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and are intended for collaborative projects between FSP recipients and various overseas institutions. 

The grant allows professionals to engage in short-term projects within their specific discipline that span from two to six weeks. The short time span benefits Fulbright specialists by allowing flexibility with current academic and professional commitments. 

As part of the project, specialists will conduct seminars, train educators in their field, assess and evaluate, lecture, attend special conferences or workshops and also collaborate on faculty developments or institutional planning.

There is an extensive selection process that includes an application by the professor and recommendations from academic peers.  The candidate also undergoes a process of blind review from professionals in the same academic discipline. Fulbright specialists are then selected by the U.S. Department of State's Council for the International Exchange of Scholars.

In relation to a possible future grant project, Mortensen stated, “So many great places! A colleague and I have discussed institutions such as the St. Petersburg or Moscow Conservatories in the Russian Federation, various schools in Latvia and Lithuania and the South Korean Yonsei University.  All of these locations would be fruitful and interesting; all have the best music faculty and students in their respective nations, as well as glorious concert halls in which to perform.”

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 18 87, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings.