Fulbright-Hays Spotlight: Hannah Standiford
The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Program is designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern languages and area studies in the US by providing opportunities for doctoral students to conduct research abroad.
VCU’s National Scholarship Office (NSO) is sharing spotlights on past Fulbright recipients.
Name: Hannah Standiford
Degree: B.A. Classical Guitar Performance, 2011
Fulbright Program: Fulbright-Hays
Country: Indonesia
Where did you go on your Fulbright grant and what was your project?
“During field site visits to Java starting in 2014, I found that the performance of a repertoire of Javanese vocal music called langgam Jawa (literally, “Javanese style”) evokes a sense of nostalgia or longing (kerinduan) among Javanese musicians and listeners. Performances of nostalgia in langgam Jawa, however, do not languish in the past but are socially operative, affording musicians and listeners the means to express and reify the sense of being ethically Javanese in the present. Men typically occupy important roles as instrumentalists, but women’s voices are pivotal in cultivating feelings of longing among listeners.
My dissertation, the first to focus on this repertoire, will address the following questions:
- How did langgam Jawa become a potent way to invoke nostalgia among Javanese musicians and listeners?
- What is the nature of nostalgia in the performance and listening practices of langgam Jawa in contemporary Javanese society?
- How did Javanese women become privileged actors in vocalizing the past through langgam Jawa?”
What are you doing now and how did your Fulbright experience help you get to this point?
“I am currently in a PhD program at the University of Pittsburgh studying ethnomusicology. I completed a Fulbright Student Research Grant before I started my program and I think that it a) made me a more competitive candidate when I applied for graduate schools and b) made me a more competitive candidate when I applied for Fulbright-Hays which is specifically for dissertation research.”
How has the NSO helped you reach your goals?
“The grant writing skills that I learned through applying for the Fulbright Student Research Grant in 2016 have served me well throughout grad school. Besides learning skills specifically for applying to other grants and scholarships, I learned how to turn my work into a narrative which has turned out to be a more broadly applicable skill.”
What is something you learned during your Fulbright grant that surprised you?
“This year I’m learning a lot about a political regime called the New Order (1966-1998) and the associated political party called Golkar. I’m currently researching an album called Waringin Sakti that was released as propaganda for the presidential election in 1997 and I am shocked at the level of coercion that happened during elections during the New Order. State workers were basically forced into choosing Golkar. Indonesia currently has free and fair elections, but I think learning about this history still has relevance when we consider current threats regarding voting rights and access.”
What was your biggest challenge as a Fulbright student scholar and how did you overcome it?
“So far this year my biggest challenge has been balancing my schedule and managing my time. I’m very fortunate in that this is my third year living in Indonesia and I already have so many connections here. However, I have decided to be a little more careful about agreeing to engagements and events as frequently this year because I need to focus on my dissertation research. I’ve been learning how and when I need to say “no,” striving to do so gracefully, and also making sure I say “yes!” sometimes, particularly to events that cultivate deeper connections and friendships.”
What advice do you have for future applicants?
“Just “put your name in the hat!” as Dr. Sisson says! I am a first generation college student. I never thought I would get this scholarship and now I am currently doing my second Fulbright. Even if you don’t get Fulbright, the application process is a valuable one and the NSO will help you build the kinds of writing skills that you will need for almost any kind of career.”
VCU’s National Scholarship Office (NSO) assists students and recent alumni with the application process for the Fulbright Program and other esteemed awards. To learn more about external funding opportunities, schedule an appointment with a member of the NSO staff.
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