Drake University Professor Honored with Fulbright Specialist Award for Kosovo Project
In a significant recognition of her contributions to legal education, Ellen Yee, J.D., a law professor at Drake University and the director of international programs, has been awarded the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Program award. This accolade, granted by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, acknowledges her forthcoming project in Kosovo.
Professor Yee is set to collaborate with the University Isa Bolentini Mitrovica in Kosovo. Her project will focus on enhancing curriculum development and providing faculty training, with the goal of facilitating knowledge exchange and forging partnerships that will benefit educational and community institutions both in the United States and Kosovo. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to engage in diverse educational and training activities within the field of law.
“The Faculty of Law at UIBM is undergoing an institutional transformation aligned with Kosovo’s broader socio-economic development and integration into European and international systems,” said Professor Yee. “My project addresses the pressing need to modernize and internationalize the legal curriculum and strengthen faculty capacity to deliver high-quality, globally relevant legal education. I am thrilled to work with my colleagues here in Kosovo and I am sure I will learn an equal amount from them.”
Selected as one of over 400 U.S. citizens for this program, Professor Yee’s selection highlights her academic and professional accomplishments, leadership in the legal field, and her potential to foster sustainable collaboration between Drake Law School and international institutions, particularly in Kosovo.
Drake University Provost Sue Mattison expressed pride in Professor Yee’s achievement, stating, “We are immensely proud of Law Professor Ellen Yee for receiving this prestigious award and representing Drake University on the global stage. Professor Yee has served the Drake Law School for more than 20 years, and her work perfectly embodies our mission to foster global citizenship and legal excellence. Furthermore, this project builds on Drake University’s well-established, multi-year relationship with Kosovo, which stems directly from the Iowa-Kosovo partnership.”
About Professor Ellen Yee
At Drake University, Professor Yee instructs in various legal fields, including domestic, comparative, and international criminal law; professional responsibility; and trial advocacy. Her teaching extends to international programs in nations such as France, Spain, Egypt, South Africa, and China. She also spearheads the Law School’s global initiatives and partnerships. Her accolades include the Principal Financial Group Global Citizen Award and the Madelyn M. Levitt Distinguished Community Service Award, which commend her leadership in global education and community involvement.
Professor Yee graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and obtained her law degree from the University of Minnesota. Her tenure at Drake Law School began in 2005. Prior to joining Drake, she was a visiting assistant professor at Florida State University College of Law, served as a deputy district attorney in Marin County, California, and worked as a judicial extern for The Honorable Franklin L. Noel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
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