Tuesday, June 10, 2003

WILMINGTON, NC - Kemp Burdette, a May 2003 graduate, received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Canada. He is the ninth UNCW student awarded this prestigious grant.

“I have spent my undergraduate career preparing for this opportunity,” said Burdette. He will use the scholarship to study maritime history at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Burdette said Memorial University, located in the port city of St. John’s, is an ideal place to continue his study

“A year of study in Canada will provide a unique opportunity to learn maritime history at a leading university in this field. More importantly though, a year at Memorial will provide me with an international educational experience and a valuable cultural exchange,” said Burdette.

“I know that Kemp is very excited about this grant, and he worked very hard to obtain it,” said Dr. Raymond Burt, UNCW’s Fulbright coordinator and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Fulbright grantees do not participate in U.S. study abroad programs but design their own program of study at a foreign university of their choice. This will not be just a classroom experience. It is a total immersion in another culture, and that is one of the greatest educational experiences you can have.”

Burdette graduated magna cum laude with majors in history and geology and focused his studies on maritime history. He has written extensively on the subject, including “The Black River: History, Evolution and Impacts on Southeastern North Carolina” and “Point Caswell: A Steamboat Town at the End of the 19th Century.” Both are located in the Special Collections Room at UNCW as well as in the New Hanover County Public Library. Burdette’s honors thesis “Cape Fear Ballast Stones: a Tool for Historians” will be published by the university’s Honors Scholars Program.

Burdette will leave for Canada in mid-August for his one year assignment. He will study and conduct research with Dr. Lewis R. Fischer, a professor of history and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Maritime History. Burdette said he plans to further his studies in maritime and related history.

Upon completion of his graduate work, Burdette wants to go into education. For the past three summers, Burdette has worked as a teaching assistant for Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP). He said this experience has influenced his career plans.

“I hope to combine my love of research with my desire to teach others what I’ve learned,” said Burdette. “There is still so much that we can learn about the role of the sea in the history of man, and I am ready to get started.”

While at UNCW, Burdette did honors work in geology. During his sophomore year, he studied abroad for one semester at the University of Wales at Swansea. After graduating from high school, Burdette saw his chances to get to sea and at the same time earn money for college by enlisting in the United States Navy. A native Wilmingtonian, he graduated from New Hanover High School.

The Fulbright Program, America’s flagship educational exchange program, is sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. Burdette was one of 5,300 applicants for 1,134 scholarships awarded for the program this year. According to officials at the Fulbright program, this year was the most competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition in the past 50 years.

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For more information, contact Dr. Burt at 910/962-3660. Mr. Burdette can be reached by phone at 910/686-4184.