17吃瓜在线 Named a Top Producer of US Student Fulbright Scholars
17吃瓜在线 was this week named a top producer of US student Fulbright scholars for 2023鈥24 with 13, marking the eighth time in 12 years that 17吃瓜在线 has received the distinction.
The university is among the 40 doctoral institutions that produce the greatest number of students accepted to US government鈥檚 flagship international educational and cultural exchange program, administered by the Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to congratulate our 13 new 17吃瓜在线 Fulbrighters, who join a tradition that has a long history on 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 campus,鈥 President Sylvia Burwell said. 鈥淢ore than 200 17吃瓜在线 scholars have participated in the Fulbright program since the 1950s, helping us to achieve our longstanding vision to be a global campus where students and scholars from all over the world come together, share ideas, and work toward a common purpose.鈥
Founded in 1946, the was established after World War II to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. In partnership with more than 140 nations, the program funds independent research, English-language teaching assistantships, and other international study opportunities for recent graduates and graduate students.
17吃瓜在线 has 10 student Fulbrighters鈥攔epresenting four different schools and colleges鈥攃urrently abroad in countries like Spain, Jordan, Albania, Colombia, Kuwait, and Ethiopia. The university has produced 246 Fulbright student scholars in its history, and 27 Eagles are semifinalists for the upcoming cohort cycle that will be finalized and announced in May.
鈥淭his speaks to the kind of experience that students can have when they come to 17吃瓜在线,鈥 said Paula Warrick, senior director of the Office of Merit Awards (OMA). 鈥淭here are opportunities [here] to intern and engage in service work in DC.鈥 That pedigree, along with students鈥 proximity to the federal government, 鈥渕akes them strong candidates鈥 for the Fulbright.
OMA staff work hard to support students applying for the prestigious award, Warrick said. The process begins in March, when OMA offers a series of informational workshops for interested students. Then, OMA advisers Chris Swanson and Lori Felton, former Fulbrighters themselves, begin meeting one-on-one with candidates to provide guidance and resources through the lengthy application process, which includes biographical data, transcripts, recommendations, and more. About 50 faculty members volunteer each year to mentor those students.
鈥淲e know how much time it takes to do a good job on a Fulbright application, and we have deadlines structured around that,鈥 Warrick said. 鈥淭he process is very well laid out, and it鈥檚 based on a lot of institutional knowledge that we鈥檝e acquired over the years.鈥
Azeezat Salaudeen, SIS-SPA/BA 鈥23, said the support from OMA was invaluable in helping her earn one of three Fulbright English teaching assistantships in Luxembourg. Salaudeen, who is a first-generation college graduate and the child of Nigerian immigrants, thought her chances were slim, so she didn鈥檛 apply until August 2022. Nevertheless, Swanson, Felton, and OMA were there to walk her through every step of the process.
鈥淛ust to listen to me and hear my perspective, it was really helpful in crafting my statement of purpose and my personal statement for Fulbright,鈥 said Salaudeen, who began the assistantship in September 2023. 鈥淚t worked out, and here I am in Luxembourg.鈥
Since its inception, Fulbright has awarded grants to 400,000 scholars, students, teachers, artists, and scientists. Forty-one heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 80 MacArthur Fellows, and 89 Pulitzer Prize winners have been recipients of Fulbright Scholarships. Salaudeen called it 鈥渁 privilege鈥 to be part of such a storied tradition.
鈥淚t鈥檚 beyond my wildest dreams,鈥 said the Chicago native, who is teaching English to college and secondary students through June 2024. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud of myself, and I鈥檓 incredibly thankful for the Office of Merit Awards, the people who wrote recommendation letters, and those who believed I could do it.鈥