Farmingdale State Student Named Fulbright Winner

Himmler Joachim, a 2013 graduate of Farmingdale State College, has won a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue teaching English in Thailand.

The Professional Communications major is the second Farmingdale student this year to receive the prestigious award. Earlier in the year, David Dávila, also a Professional Communications major, received a Fulbright to teach English in Argentina.

"This is a great honor for Himmler Joachim, as well as for Farmingdale," said Farmingdale President W. Hubert Keen, who is a Fulbright recipient himself. "It is also a testament to the continuing high quality of both our students and professors at Farmingdale, as well as our commitment to the mentoring process and to preparing our graduates for a world in which international communication and understanding are essential."

Born in Brooklyn into a Haitian-American family, Joachim says, “My life-long job as family interpreter has prepared me for this new experience.”

His primary goal is to help K-12 children in Thailand learn English, but Joachim said he is looking forward to immersing himself in Thai society and culture.

“Himmler Joachim is an amazing example of the American dream,” says Dr. Beverly Kahn, one of Joachim’s advisors and Farmingdale's Fulbright Program Coordinator. “He is comfortable in any setting with people of diverse cultures and ethnicities, and his warm smile and personality will undoubtedly lead to many friendships in Thailand.”

The Middletown, NY resident came to Farmingdale to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Communications, after earning an Associate Degree in English at Orange County Community College.

Joachim organized charitable activities both on and off his Farmingdale campus, in addition to maintaining an excellent grade point average, and making the Dean’s List twice.

“It has been my dream to travel the world teaching English,” says Joachim.

Himmler arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on Sept. 27. He will participate in a 4-week orientation in the nation's capital before being assigned to a primary or secondary school in a northern or northeastern province. He will remain in Thailand as an English Teaching Assistant for a full 12 months, returning to the US in fall 2014.

Since its creation in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given about 300,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Farmingdale State College has participated in the program since 2010. To date, five Farmingdale students have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships that have sent them to Italy, Estonia, Canada, Argentina and Thailand. In addition, six current faculty and administrators at Farmingdale are past recipients of Fulbright Scholarships awarded to faculty and administrators.