Fulbright students gathered outside the main Unity Temple area prior to the beginning of the event
By Cristina Sisson — VISITING FULBRIGHT STUDENTS and scholars joined Fulbright alumni members on Saturday, September 29th, 2012 from 11:30 am. -2 pm. for the annual Fall Welcome, the first event of the new academic year.
Linda Gruber and Ana Gil-García met at Unity Temple after Dr. Gil-García’s return from teaching in Egypt.
A packed room of over eighty guests shared lunch together at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity House, the secular social space of Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois. After a welcome by our chapter president, Elio Leturia, visiting Fulbrighters competed in a Chicago fact scavenger hunt that included questions about the Chicago Fire, local museums, and cultural questions such as “What are the toppings on a traditional Chicago hot dog?” board member Jason Romano led the scavenger hunt and joked that teams received one point for listing “mustard” and lost five if they included ketchup. Halloween prizes were awarded to the top three teams.
While explaining how Frank Lloyd Wright directed Unity Temple’s construction, our tour guide said the whole structure was made using concrete.
The fun welcome to the city continued as guests enjoyed an informative and engaging tour Unity Temple. The foundation’s docent chronicled the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright on architecture in Chicago and around the world. Many Fulbrighters took advantage of the beautiful fall weather and walked together to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio, historical homes, and other museums in the area such as Ernest Hemingway’s Home.
It was a perfect setting to catch up with Fulbright alumni and meet new students studying in Chicago.
Fulbright students worked together on the Chicago Scavenger Hunt right after the luncheon and before the architectural tour.
Photos by Thomas Ahleman
FULBRIGHT CHICAGO 