05/18/2026
Two Coastal Carolina University faculty members have received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards for the 2026-27 academic year to teach abroad, expanding CCU’s reach to Asia and Africa. Fulbright provides opportunities for exceptional Americans and participants from 160 countries and locations to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. The awards are given through the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Anna Oldfield, Ph.D., professor in the Department of English, will teach American literature and culture in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Anna Oldfield taking a selfie smiling at the camera wearing a blue and white shirt, a yellow necklace, and brown sunglasses. She is standing on a cobblestone street.
“My project is to explore different cultural expressions, including literature, folklore, and film, that express different experiences of being American, while inviting students to bring in their own cultures so we can explore our shared human legacy of storytelling,” said Oldfield. “One reason I applied to the Fulbright program is that its goal is citizen diplomacy, so my purpose will be to get out into the community and talk to people. Every bus ride and shopping trip will be a diplomatic opportunity!”
Oldfield is looking forward to studying the Kyrgyz language; listening to traditional performers sing the Epic of Manas, a famous oral epic from the Kyrgyz Republic; learning how to play the Komyz lute; and exploring the mountains.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity. I hope I can do some good teaching and be a real friend to those I meet, and I’m excited for what I’ll be able to learn and bring back to share,” she said.
Darlene Booth-Bell, Ph. D., associate professor of accounting, will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, where she will collaborate with the University of Cape Town’s Development Policy Research Unit and local community organizations.
A headshot of Darlene Booth-Bell. She is wearing a white shirt under a light blue blazer with a red necklace.
Her project, Building Financial Skills for Micro-Entrepreneurs: Strengthening South Africa’s Informal Economy, examines how accounting knowledge and financial literacy can improve the sustainability and growth of small businesses operating in economically distressed communities.
“This project represents an opportunity to combine research and teaching in a way that creates both scholarly contributions and meaningful community impact,” said Booth-Bell. “I am honored to collaborate with colleagues and entrepreneurs in South Africa to explore how financial knowledge can strengthen businesses and communities.”
Coastal Carolina University has a rich Fulbright legacy, with more than 20 Fulbright scholars on the faculty. In addition, the institution was named a Top Producing institution of Fulbright U.S. Students in 2024-25. For information about the Fulbright Scholar Program, contact Darla Domke-Damonte, Ph.D., associate provost for global initiatives, at [email protected].
