About Us
The mission of the Fulbright Association North Dakota Chapter is to advocate for the Fulbright Program, foster community among Fulbright alumni and Friends of Fulbright in the state of North Dakota, and promote international education through our local community. Our vision is a world where international exchange is widely recognized as a force for peace.
North Dakota Chapter of the Fulbright Association
The North Dakota Chapter of the Fulbright Association is a statewide chapter serving Fulbright alumni and friends of international exchange. The chapter is focused on hosting engaging programs and events for Fulbright alumni and visiting Fulbright students and scholars throughout the state, primarily in North Dakota. The chapter is closely affiliated with universities and colleges in the region, and often co-sponsors programs with these institutions.
2024 - 2026 Chapter Leadership
ADVOCACY CHAIR
Melissa Gjellstad
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Divine N. Tarla, Ph.D., Board Member
Dr. Divine N. Tarla is a Fulbright Alumnus from Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kansas. He has worked in the University of Dschang for 15 years and consulted with international organizations like the Food and Agricultural Organization and the United Nations Development Program in Cameroon
He has (co-)authored many books and over 30 articles including: 1-Poverty and Food Insecurity in Africa: The Voice of the Voiceless (English and French); 2-The Role of the Fulbright Coordinator, Faculty Associate, and Community Mentor in the Success of the Fulbright Program (English and French); 3-Phytoremediation and Bioremediation of Pesticide-Contaminated Soil.; 4-Wheat Production in Cameroon: From Myth to Reality
Divine has traveled widely across Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe and more than half of the United States. He currently lives in Bismarck with his wife, Geraldine Ambe and daughter, Telma Neba. For the last 5 years, he has been transitioning into Information Technology
VICE PRESIDENT
Pempho Chinkondenji, Ph.D.
Dr. Pempho Chinkondenji is a scholar, educator, and practitioner-activist in the field of comparative and international education. She is an Assistant Professor of Educational Foundations and Research at the University of North Dakota. Her scholarly practice, teaching, and advocacy for social justice lie at the intersections of international education, girls’ education, in-school pregnancy/student motherhood, refugee education, forced displacement, and qualitative research methods. As a qualitative methodologist, she primarily utilizes participatory visual methodologies to conduct educational research. Her scholarship has received various awards including the 2024 Gail P. Kelly Award for Outstanding Dissertation conferred by the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES).
Dr. Chinkondenji earned her Ph.D. in International Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2023, and an M.A. in Cross-cultural and International Education from Bowling Green State University in 2017. She also has a B.A. in Mass Communication from African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Yun Ji, Ph.D., Board Member
Yun Ji is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of North Dakota. She earned her B.S. in China., M.S. in Thailand, and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maine. She worked at a Postdoc Research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) prior to her job in the university. Yun received Fulbright-VTT award in Science, Technology and Innovation in Finland in 2018.