This year, 10 University of Georgia students and alumni were offered grants to take their research and teaching to a global level through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. This marks the fourth straight year-and eighth time in the past nine years-that UGA has achieved a double-digit number of Fulbright offers.
Of the 10, six were able to take advantage of the opportunity. Four received academic grants, and two will be teaching English.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers research, study and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to recent college graduates and graduate students. As the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, it is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and countries worldwide.
“These prestigious grants are a testament to the exceptional talent of UGA students and UGA’s institutional commitment to international education,” said Maria de Rocher, assistant director of the Honors Program and chair of the Fulbright selection committee at UGA.
Four students and alumni received Fulbright academic grants. Their study concentrations and host countries are:
- Anna Forrester of Kingsport, Tennessee, will be studying Shakespearean performances in Turkey, exploring how Shakespeare has shaped the country’s national dramatic identity. She will be based in Istanbul. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in English literature at UGA.
- John Esteban Rodriguez of Guyton will be conducting research on the intersection of race and LGBTQ identities, while pursuing a master’s degree in gender, politics and sexuality in Paris. He recently completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English at UGA.
- Samuel Schaffer of Atlanta will be working as a binational business intern in Mexico City, Mexico. He graduated from UGA this past May with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs.
- James Thompson of Augusta will be participating in the Young Professional Journalist Program in Freiburg, Germany, interning with various media companies and researching how religious groups interact with secular communities. He received bachelor’s degrees in journalism and history this past May.
Two alumni received Fulbright English teaching assistantship awards. Their study concentrations and host countries are:
- Asad Delawalla of Lawrenceville will be teaching English classes in South Korea. He graduated from UGA in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and a minor in French.
- Margaret Harney of Atlanta will be assisting English teachers in Spain. She graduated from UGA in 2016 with bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and journalism.
More information about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is available at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/.
Photos and more information about the students and their travel-study plans are available at https://honors.uga.edu/news/s_p/fulbright-profiles.html.