The University of Notre Dame is among just 11 institutions to be named a top producer for both the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar programs for the 2018-19 academic year, a first for the University, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The University was tied for seventh among all research institutions in Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants with 24, and tied for eighth in Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program grants with six.
Of the 24 students to receive Fulbrights, 20 were College of Arts and Letters students and alumni. Arts and Letters alone produced more Fulbright student winners than Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Emory, and Duke.
This is the fifth consecutive year that Notre Dame has ranked among the top producers for the Student Program. The University had 29 Fulbright students last year — including 22 from Arts and Letters — ranking second among all research institutions and better than Northwestern, Princeton, Harvard, and the University of Chicago, among others.
As in previous years, this year’s student winners worked with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) at Notre Dame as well as the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships in applying for the Student Program.
“Today is a banner day for Notre Dame’s scholarly contributions with records for Fulbright scholarships and for research support in combating mosquito-borne disease,” Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., said, referring to the simultaneous announcement Monday (Feb. 11) of the University’s largest-ever research grant, $33.7 million for research into the efficacy of a spatial repellent product. “Congratulations to our faculty and students.”
“The University of Notre Dame’s consistent presence on the list of top producers of Fulbright U.S. Students over the past five years is a testament to its ongoing commitment to providing undergraduates with outstanding opportunities in international education, undergraduate research and national fellowships advising,” said Jeffrey Thibert, the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE. “CUSE is thrilled that our students continue to take advantage of these opportunities, which are central to success in competitive fellowships programs like the Fulbright.”
Samantha Lee, program director for the Office of Grants and Fellowships, said, “The Graduate School is thrilled to once again be recognized as a top-producing Fulbright institution. Our outstanding graduate students will continue to advance their scholarship at the international level as they conduct research abroad and engage with the world’s experts in their respective fields. Our success would not be possible without the ongoing support of the faculty and staff who guide our students in developing their profile as scholars and world citizens ready to be a global force for good.”
The 20 Arts and Letters recipients are:
• Kirsten Anderson, Gillette, Wyoming; theology graduate student — study and research grant to Germany.
• Nadezhda Braun, Morristown, Minnesota; Russian, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Russia.
• Trini Bui, Vail, Arizona; English and education, Class of 2016; Alliance for Catholic Education graduate student — English teaching assistantship to Vietnam.
• Jeremy Cappello Lee, Tempe, Arizona; philosophy, Class of 2018 — study and research grant to South Korea.
• Connor Devine, Valparaiso, Indiana; economics and political science, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Germany.
• Jasmine Feder, Granger, Indiana; neuroscience and behavior and Spanish, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Mexico.
• Kristina Hook, Pensacola, Florida; anthropology and peace studies graduate student — study and research grant to Ukraine.
• Annie Kuster, Clinton, New Jersey; anthropology and international economics, Class of 2016 — study and research grant to Peru.
• Fauvé Liggans-Hubbard, Matteson, Illinois; anthropology, Class of 2017 — English teaching assistantship to South Korea.
• Amelia Lindstrom, Lostant, Illinois; honors mathematics and Spanish, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Mexico.
• Ryan Mas, West Bend, Wisconsin; theology and German, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Germany.
• Ingabirano Nintunze, Austin, Texas; English and creative writing graduate student — study and research grant to New Zealand.
• Michael O’Connor, Indianapolis, Indiana; chemistry and Spanish, Class of 2018 — English teaching assistantship to Spain.
• Andrea Carolina Pena Vasquez, Port Saint Lucie, Florida; political science graduate student — study and research grant to Spain.
• Grace Pettey, Davidsonville, Maryland; political science, Class of 2016 — English teaching assistantship to Rwanda.
• Natasha Reifenberg; philosophy, Class of 2018 — study and research grant to Chile.
• Maryam Rokhideh, Mission Viejo, California; anthropology and peace studies graduate student — study and research grant to Rwanda.
• Abby Shepard, Dayton, Ohio; visual communications design and environmental science, Class of 2016 — English teaching assistantship to Slovak Republic.
• Francesco Tassi, Florence, Italy; international economics and peace studies, Class of 2018 — study and research grant to Italy.
• Jeannie Yoon, Boston, Massachusetts; English and creative writing graduate student — study and research grant to South Korea.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, providing more than 38,000 students with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to solutions to shared international concerns based on academic merit and leadership potential since 1964.
Winners, including graduating seniors, graduate students, artists and young professionals from a range of academic backgrounds, study, teach English or conduct research in as many as 140 countries each year.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers nearly 470 teaching, research or combination teaching/research awards in more than 125 countries, with opportunities available for college and university faculty and administrators as well as professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers, independent scholars and others.
Notre Dame's six Fulbright Scholar awards include Arts and Letters faculty Mark A. Sanders, a professor of English and Africana studies, and Semion Lyandres, a professor of history.
Undergraduate students interested in learning more about the Fulbright Program can visit cuse.nd.edu/fulbright. Graduate students can visit graduateschool.nd.edu/professional_development/research/.
CUSE will host a Fellowships Forum for undergraduate students at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 (Wednesday) in the Andrews Auditorium at Geddes Hall. The event will feature CUSE representatives discussing the process of applying for national fellowships and Notre Dame faculty and alumni discussing their experiences as fellows. Interested students should RSVP at https://ntrda.me/2GlFlUG.
The Office of Grants and Fellowships will host its annual Fulbright Information Session for graduate students in March. Contact gradgrants@nd.edu for more information.
Originally at news.nd.edu.
