FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University is one of the top 10 producers of Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant winners, as announced by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Fulbright program is among the U.S. government’s top international educational exchange programs and funds students going abroad. The 19 IU Fulbright recipients represent a variety of disciplines and will go to 15 countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
Among research institutions producing the most Fulbright students in 2015-16, IU was tied for ninth with Princeton University and the University of Southern California. IU was third among all public universities and third in the Big Ten.
All of this year’s IU Fulbright recipients are students at the Bloomington campus and are enrolled in its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Informatics and Computing or Jacobs School of Music.
Lauren Robel, IU Bloomington provost and executive vice president, said success in applying for these and other international educational exchange programs reflects the university’s expanded efforts -- as set out in IU’s Bicentennial Strategic Plan -- to offer students transformative experiences abroad.
“Among the many international experiences available to our students, the Fulbright is certainly one of the most prestigious and the most academically demanding,” Robel said. “The recipients represent the very best of our campus community, and they are wonderful ambassadors for the values of Indiana University.”
“Our commitment to student success through rigorous academic preparation -- coupled with support from our Office of Competitive Awards and Research -- is reflected in this recognition," said Dennis Groth, vice provost for undergraduate education at Indiana University Bloomington. “IU students are well-positioned for the challenging and enriching global opportunities the Fulbright program affords them.”
With the ever-growing interest in international affairs, the number of applications has increased in recent years, making the Fulbright fellowship even more competitive. Prospective applicants must carefully weigh their intentions, goals, future plans and prospective projects before applying.
Nationwide, more than 10,000 students apply annually for about 1,600 Fulbright awards that support graduating seniors and graduate students in carrying out research projects or teaching English in countries spanning the globe.
IU's Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant recipients include students from disciplines in the humanities, including anthropology, computer science, India studies, linguistics, communication and culture, history and Russian and East European studies. They prepared their applications with guidance from IU faculty and staff and in conjunction with partner institutions abroad.
For example, students are researching immigrant workers and foreign labor policy in Japan, studying the relationship between indigenous languages and Spanish in Mexico and designing and deploying a wireless sensor network to monitor forest floor moisture in Ecuador. Several of them are assisting with English language instruction in more remote areas of their host countries.
In addition to the 19 U.S. Fulbright Student Program grants, two IU Bloomington students received Fulbright-Hays grants administered by the Department of Education for doctoral dissertation research in countries outside Western Europe.
Students interested in pursuing a Fulbright grant should contact their respective adviser: Paul Fogleman, pfoglema@iu.edu, advises undergraduates; and Kathleen Sullivan, ugsawrd@indiana.edu, advises graduate students.
IU students receiving Fulbright U.S. Student Awards and their field of study and destinations:
- Knar Abrahamyan, music theory, Russia.
- Keely Bakken, area studies, Russia.
- Charles Bonds, cultural and intellectual history, Ukraine.
- Madeline Chera, anthropology, India.
- Aldar Escamilla Mijes, international relations, Japan.
- Kalah Gallapoo, English teaching, Germany.
- Megan Harsh, English teaching, Mexico.
- Max Hollingsworth, computer science, Ecuador.
- Kelly Kreutz, English teaching, Brazil
- Connor Leach, English teaching, Bulgaria.
- Matthew Lebrato, anthropology, Mexico.
- Kathryn Lehman, history, Bolivia.
- Kathryn Minion, organ and harpsichord, France.
- Arielle Moss, English teaching, Morocco.
- Maria Page, English teaching, Indonesia.
- Julia Riegel, cultural and intellectual history, Poland
- Martha Sliva, English teaching, Germany.
- Katie Stewart, political science, Russia.
- Michael Young, English teaching, Jordan.
IU students receiving Fulbright-Hays Awards:
- Sarah Foss, history, who will be conducting research in Guatemala.
- Sarah Monson, anthropology, who is conducting research in Ghana.