Fort McNair, Washington, DC –
National Defense University is pleased to host its first ever Fulbright Fellow, Ms. Dumitrina Galantonu from Bucharest, Romania. Ms Galantonu comes to NDU after having worked as a journalist for almost ten years covering domestic and international affairs in newspaper, radio, and television. Ms. Galantonu has a Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy and a Master’s Degree in theories and practices of interpretation, both from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Romania. She is currently a PhD candidate studying organizational culture in the security sector. “Somehow, philosophy, security and journalism shook hands in my case,” explains Ms. Galantonu.
Ms. Galantonu’s Fulbright topic focuses on strengthening professional values in military organizations. “In my view, changing behaviors implies first of all making people feel and think different and for that you have to address their inner fabric – meaning their values. In this regard, NDU as an advanced joint military educational institution fits perfectly with my research topic,” she says. Ms. Galantonu uses a case study on sexual harassment, through which she hopes to find at least one suitable method of instilling or reinforcing values in the military. Ms. Galantonu’s research efforts come amid a renewed educational emphasis on ethics in the profession of arms, in light of recent spates of unprofessional conduct in the military.
One would think that, due to the pertinence of her research topic, Ms. Galantonu would have had a smooth path to NDU. Her journey, however, has been as unlikely as it was unprecedented. Despite being a PhD candidate at the Romanian National Intelligence Academy, Ms. Galantonu initially had doubts about the potential of ever partnering with NDU.
“At the very beginning,” she said “I hadn’t even dared to consider NDU as an option, knowing that these kinds of institutions (government/military) are less accessible to civilians.” Following a grueling Fulbright selection process, the process of selecting an academic institution with which to affiliate was mired in bureaucratic difficulties. NDU traditionally accepts international students already affiliated with their home governments via military or civil service employment, and Ms. Galantonu did not know how to proceed.
But she had the courage to continue knocking on NDU’s door. Fate stepped in when she met Dr. James Keagle of NDU’s Institute for National Security Studies at a conference, where she mustered the confidence to renew her push to partner with NDU. “Some people invested confidence in me and in my research project, and their trust emphasized my own confidence,” says Ms. Galantonu. Dr. Keagle enlisted the assistance of NDU Senior Vice President, Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt, and the Institute for International Education, who worked to make sure Ms. Galantonu had a properly-supported position NDU.
Beyond the initial administrative difficulties, Ms. Galantonu has no regrets about partnering with NDU: “For me, there was no cultural shock. All the people I’ve met so far here are very kind, open and warm. The library is alluring, the events and conferences held here complete my world view. Here I found the right people to support and orient my vision about improving people’s lives and serving my country.”
Ms. Galantonu’s efforts have blazed a new trail, as NDU plans on hosting two more Fulbright Fellows next year. Continuity in the Fulbright partnership is equally important to both NDU and to Ms. Galantonu, who does not want future foreign researchers to be deterred by the semblance of NDU’s inaccessibility. Says Ms. Galantonu, “NDU is the best choice for somebody who wants to make this world a better place, through the power of education (of actual and future military leaders).”