GovState Professor receives the Fulbright Scholar Award
By Lisa Redmond, Staff Writer
Governors State University (GovState) professor, Dr. Lisa Pennington, was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholar Award and will spend the Spring 2026 semester at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Tortola, the largest and most populated city of the British Virgin Islands.
The Fulbright Scholar Awards are highly competitive and offer opportunities for faculty and other professionals to “teach, conduct research, and carry out professional projects around the world.”
Pennington, an associate professor in College of Education and Human Development's (CEHD) Division of Education and Leadership, was initially shocked to have received the award. She will be working at HLSCC on curriculum development, teaching, and providing teacher professional development workshops.
“I am excited to spend my sabbatical on Tortola learning about the British education system by working with current teachers and pre-service teachers at HLSCC,” said Pennington. “I am also looking forward to learning more about a new teacher preparation program at the college level and the British school system in general.”
Pennington, who is passionate about helping future teachers learn how to make social studies engaging, exciting, and hands-on, began her career as a sixth-grade social studies teacher; served as a curriculum specialist; and taught World Geography and US History, was an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M International University before arriving at GovState in 2018. Her research focus is social studies education and using children’s literature to make social studies engaging and exciting.
“I’m looking forward to different challenges and bringing back new ideas to improve my own classes upon my return,” said Pennington.