A native of Libya, Mohammed Hmuma will begin his teaching assistantship in August at the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP).

Hmuma has accepted a one-year appointment as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant. He is currently working on his master’s degree in applied linguistics at the Academy of Postgraduate Studies in Tripoli, Libya. He received his licentiate (bachelor’s) degree in English language at The High Institute for Training Teachers in Abu-Eissa, Libya.

Richard Ruppel, chair of foreign languages, will be his immediate supervisor. Brad Van den Elzen, director of the foreign student office, will be his international student adviser.

"I am very excited at the prospect of teaching Arabic in the United States," said Hmuma. "It will be a wonderful, enriching, memorable and unique experience, while enriching me both professionally and personally. In addition, I will also have the pleasure of sharing my own language and culture with American students and faculty. It will be my privilege to share my knowledge with students and to learn as well from their experience."

Since 1968 the Institute of International Education at the United Nations has administered the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant program. Its aim is to strengthen foreign language instruction at U.S. institutions by establishing a native speaker presence. The program supports teaching assistantships in over 29 languages at hundreds of U.S. universities. Each participant is provided a monthly stipend and must enroll in two classes each semester, in addition to their 20 hours of teaching assistant duties. UWSP is waiving all tuition and fees for Hmuma’s classes this academic year.

"Our department is delighted to welcome Mohammed this fall to our campus and community," said Ruppel. "His background and language skills will surely engage our students, faculty and the greater campus community."

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