UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Bryan Nichols, associate professor of music education, was selected for the Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) 2022 Summer Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel, May 21-June 3. He will join more than 30 other participants from colleges and universities nationwide for the trip, during which they will travel throughout the country to meet Israeli professors from their respective disciplines with similar research interests, with a goal of developing collaborations and establishing exchange programs between faculty and students.

“Nearly all of the work we do in the Pitch Exploration Lab is driven by interdisciplinary collaboration that draws on research from around the world,” said Nichols. “For me, this really is an exciting opportunity to travel abroad to a vibrant scholarly community with different approaches to learning music and intellectual inquiry. It’s energizing to think about all the opportunities this trip could enable.”

Through the support of JNF-USA’s Boruchin Fund and individual donors, hundreds of U.S.-based academics have taken part in the annual Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. During the trip, the participants meet Israelis from all walks of life and hear from a variety of speakers. They are also exposed to contemporary Israeli society, culture, historical sites and the way of life in Israel. The academics meet with professionals and experts involved in government, industry, education, media and other sectors to understand the many facets of Israel’s evolving national and international policies.

This year, participating schools include Penn State, Drexel University, Boston University, University of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, University of Miami, Clemson University, University of Georgia and University of Chicago, among others.

JNF-USA also runs the annual Caravan for Democracy Student Leadership Mission to Israel for college students, among other programs. For more information on JNF-USA, visit the website.