Nine Elon alumni are now studying, teaching or researching in Finland, Germany, India, Spain and the United Kingdom through the prestigious fellowship.
Elon continues to build upon its track record of mentoring successful Fulbright U.S. Student Award recipients, with nine alumni now studying, teaching or conducting research overseas as recipients of the prestigious international fellowship.
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced on Feb. 11, 2019, its list of American schools that last year produced the highest number of Fulbright students.
Among the 159 “doctoral/professional universities” in the country, Elon produced the most Fulbright U.S. Student Award winners for 2018-19 with nine students receiving grants. Elon University had the third-most student award winners among North Carolina colleges and universities, following The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (16 student awards) and Duke University (13 student awards), both research institutions.
Five recent Elon graduates are currently abroad on Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Awards: Isabelle Fagen ’18 (Spain), Megan Graves ’18 (Spain), Melody Titus ’18 (Spain), Bryanna Schoenblatt ’18 (Spain) and Madeline Wetterhall ’18 (Germany). Four recent graduates are abroad on Fulbright Study/Research Awards: Brianna Birchett ’17 (India), Anya Fredsell ’18 (India), Samantha Friedman ’18 (United Kingdom), and Sarah Holdren ’18 (Finland).
The Fulbright competition is administered at Elon through the National and International Fellowships Office, directed by Professor Janet Myers and Sarah Krech, who serves as associate director.
"The success of Elon students in the Fulbright competition is due to the excellent preparation they receive through our academic programs, but also through the unique opportunities afforded by the Elon Experiences," Myers said. "Rich and sustained encounters with global engagement, undergraduate research, internships, leadership, and service provide our students with strong foundations to tackle the challenges and opportunities they will encounter living and working abroad, whether they teach, study, or conduct independent research through a Fulbright grant."
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 participants – chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential – with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. More than 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world.
The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.
The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.
For students who are interested in learning more about the application process for Fulbright U.S. Student Grants, the National and International Fellowships Office will host a Fulbright Info Session on Thursday, March 7, from 4:15 to 5 p.m. in Belk Pavilion 208.
To learn more about Fulbright U.S. Student Grants and other nationally competitive awards, visit the National and International Fellowships website where students and alumni can request an appointment or stop by the office at Powell 108.