Fulbright Gala: Surprise spotlight on me!

My fancy Malaysian batik-ed ballgown, unpacked from a dusty box sent over on a boat from Malaysia. Worn now on occasion of the Fulbright fundraising Gala, where they invited me to come in honor of my newfound position of the latest winner of the Fulbright New Leaders Group Scholar Award! More importantly, I got to sport my Jimmy Choos once more, limping and wobbling in them across the cobblestone to the gala.

Inspired by Rebecca, I indulged in a professional hair and makeup job at a posh Tribeca salon then changed at Becca's home, around the corner from the Gala, located at Cipriani Wall Street

I am at the Fulbright Gala, with the Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Education and Cultural Affairs, to my right, along with many other Fulbright Scholars and Students from around the world

September 29, 2011

I was completely surprised to not only be invited to the Fulbright fundraising gala, but to have the spotlight turned on me, in front of hundreds of people at Cipriani's, and have the Fulbright Board Chair fete me as the 2011 winner of the Fulbright New Leaders Group award, after I competed against current and past year Fulbrighters to win. And, the award allowed our Child Refugee Mental Health clinic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to continue! 

In the end, it's good I pampered myself with a professional makeup job, since it turns out the professional photographers and lighting managers turned on me! This kind of attention can sure make a girl facing reentry stress feel pretty darn like an academic Cinderella, arriving at the palace.