The University of Notre Dame is a top producer of Fulbright students for the 12th consecutive year, according to an announcement from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which administers the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.
Twenty-two Notre Dame students — 18 from the College of Arts & Letters — were awarded Fulbright Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year, ranking 12th among U.S. doctoral institutions. The awardees include 18 undergraduate students and four graduate students. Slightly more than 30 percent of the Notre Dame students who applied to the program were accepted, exceeding the respective rates for the 11 schools ahead of Notre Dame in the rankings.
Notre Dame has been a top producer of Fulbright students 13 times since the 2009-10 academic year. Full results are available online at the Chronicle of Higher Education.
“Last year's Fulbright process was unusually challenging due to shifting federal funding priorities. Many countries lessened the amount of awards they offered halfway through the process,” said Elise Rudt-Moorthy, associate director of national fellowships with Notre Dame’s Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement. “However, our students worked incredibly hard to earn their placements and then displayed great patience amid uncertainty. It was a pleasure and honor to serve them alongside my colleagues Mathilda Nassar, Emily Hunt, Michael Skalski and Veronica Vos.”
Mary Ann McDowell, a professor of biology and associate dean for professional development at the Graduate School, offered similar praise.
“Fulbright awards are highly competitive and recognize academic excellence, leadership potential and a strong commitment to global engagement and public service,” McDowell said. “The continued success of Notre Dame students earning Fulbright awards reflects their remarkable talent, dedication and drive to make a meaningful difference in the world. I am sincerely thankful to the exceptional teams in the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships and the Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement, whose guidance and expertise are instrumental in supporting students throughout the Fulbright application process.”
Established in 1964, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the U.S. government’s flagship educational and cultural exchange program, offering students the opportunity to study, teach or pursue research or other projects abroad.
The awardees, with Arts & Letters students bolded, are:
Undergraduate
• Aria Bossone, American studies and peace studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Charlotte Cardarella, honors anthropology and Arabic, English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Mary Kate Cashman, political science and peace studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Kosovo
• Eva Garces-Foley, anthropology, peace studies (supplemental), and Spanish (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Juliet Hare, political science, global affairs (supplemental with a concentration in international peace studies), and French (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Luxembourg
• Ethan Harned, psychology and pre-health studies (supplemental), Fulbright-Nehru open study/research award to India
• Sarah Hui, Program of Liberal Studies and theology, open study/research award to Italy
• Joseph Kositzke, American studies, English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Joseph Lufti, American studies and Arabic, English teaching assistantship to Georgia
• Leslie Martin, global affairs and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Colombia
• Matthew McCollum, honors international economics, English teaching assistantship to Germany
• Maria Murinova, Program of Liberal Studies, English teaching assistantship to the Slovak Republic
• Margaret O’Brien, political science and Italian (supplemental with a concentration in Irish studies), English teaching assistantship to Italy
• Jasmine Peña Ramirez, political science and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to South Korea
• Theresa Salazar, preprofessional studies and theology (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Alexandra Sutton, political science, English teaching assistantship to Lithuania
• Sarah Van Hollebeke, political science and German, English teaching assistantship to Germany
• Juliet Webb, anthropology and peace studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Senegal
Graduate
• Christopher Cirelli, master of education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Italy
• Montana Garcia, master of education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Malta
• Nicholas Herrud, history, open study/research award to Lithuania
• Natasha Rodgers, French and Francophone studies, English teaching assistantship to Mauritius
For more information on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu (undergraduate students) or graduateschool.nd.edu/graduate-training/research-communication/the-office-of-grants-and-fellowships/ (graduate students).
Originally published by at news.nd.edu on February 04, 2026.
