Elon University ranked #3 on an annual list of American master's-level institutions whose graduates received Fulbright student awards for 2014-15.
Elon University has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for 2014-15 after a record number of its most recent graduates were awarded the prestigious international fellowship to teach English overseas.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced Feb. 12, 2015, its list of American schools that last year produced the highest number of Fulbright students. Top-producing institutions were highlighted in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Elon ranked #3 on the list of American master’s-level institutions whose graduates last year received Fulbright student awards, behind Villanova University and Rollins College.
The Fulbright competition is administered at Elon through the Office of National and International Fellowships, directed by Professor Janet Myers and Sarah Lentz, who serves as associate director.
Six graduates in the Class of 2014 received Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grants: Mat Goldberg (South Korea), Julia Okada (South Korea), Nakhila Mistry (Sri Lanka), Kyle Whitaker (Malaysia), Lauren Kepke (Guatemala) and Eryn Gorang (South Africa).
Elon alumnus Dan Koehler ‘12 also received the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship. Collectively, the seven recipients set a new Elon record for the number of students and alumni who receive Fulbright awards in the same year.
“Our office is proud of the seven alumni living and working abroad this year through the Fulbright program,” Myers said. “These students drew on their academic preparation and on their Elon experiences both on and off campus in order to create competitive applications.
“We enjoy following their progress through their blogs and hope that their experiences will inspire outstanding Elon students and alumni to pursue Fulbright U.S. Student grants in the future.”
A campus information session for current students interested in the Fulbright program is set for Thursday, Feb. 26, from 4:15-5:15 p.m. in Lindner 208. Contact fellowships@elon or stop by the Office of National and International Fellowships in Lindner 200 for more information.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Over 1,800 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 over 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 information specific to the U.S. Student Program, visit http://www.us.fulbrightonline.org/