A  native of South Africa, Dr. Vernon Domingo, a geography professor at Bridgewater State College, was in his own words, “one of the disenfranchised under the apartheid system.” Now more than 25 years after he was expelled from one of the South African “ethnic” universities, the University of Western Cape (limited to “Coloureds”) and blacklisted for political activism, he will return to his homeland as a Fulbright Scholar for the first eight months of 2002. This is the second time that Dr. Domingo has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar. His first Fulbright experience was in 1994, when he traveled to Suriname, South America.  Dr. Domingo is one of approximately 110 Americans who have been selected for the 2001-2002 academic year to teach or conduct research in 27 African countries. It is not a coincidence that he is returning to his homeland, in fact, he applied specifically for this charge for  several reasons. "I want to witness how life has changed for the peoples who

           The application process, which takes almost a year, concluded in April when Dr. Domingo received
           his announcement letter from the Fulbright Commission.

           He will be teaching two courses at the University of Fort Hare in Alice, South Africa, one of the
           oldest historically Black universities in Africa. One course will be on research methods, with a
           strong emphasis on those techniques that are especially appropriate in Third World settings where
           applied research is needed for social and economic development. The second course will focus on
           the African environments, which will emphasize how development on the continent is affected by the
           interaction between humans and their changing physical and cultural environments.

           “I will be dividing my time between teaching these two courses and doing research in the field,” said
           Dr. Domingo. “My research will focus on how households and local communities evaluate their
           water resources and how they organize to gain access to this critical resource.”

           Water is a particularly scarce resource in the Eastern Cape region, which has a historically low
           rainfall and is experiencing more damaging droughts then ever before.

           “As a geographer, I am focusing on water needs because obtaining water for household needs,
           drinking and sanitation is perhaps the most intense relationship that individuals have with the
           environment,” said Dr. Domingo.

           Beyond his work in South Africa, Dr. Domingo believes his experiences will also benefit the college.

           “I teach my students that we live in a global society where every place has a connection to each
           other. This Fulbright Scholarship will help me to learn more about the world so that I can share it
           with my students when I return.”

           He is also looking forward to visiting with his parents, siblings and their children, who still live in
           South Africa. Life for his relatives is much different than the world he left so many years ago.
           “My parents know that their grandchildren in South Africa now have choices and opportunities
           open to them that their own children never had. Universities that were once off-limits to some are
           now open to everyone,” said Dr. Domingo.

           His wife and two children will accompany him for part of his stay.

           “For my children, this is an opportunity for them to have enriching experiences and to see the world
           through different eyes. I hope that through this experience, they will see that people all over the
           world strive for basically the same things — food, shelter, clean water and good health — but also
           for the broader issues of a strong community, a caring family and the dignity which makes us all
           human.”