Category: International Main

UA Students Receive U.S. Fulbright Program Awards for 2022-2023

From UA News | May 18th, 2022

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Fulbright Program has selected 18 University of Alabama students for various awards for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Five UA students received Fulbright Student Research Awards and 10 won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards. In addition, three students won Fulbright Summer Study Awards to Canada.

“The Fulbright Program offers extraordinary opportunities for our students to deepen and expand the global learning experiences that they have on campus or through study abroad after they graduate,” said Dr. Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and global outreach. “Our students’ time researching or teaching during their Fulbright year abroad has lasting impacts on their personal and professional lives.

“The cross-cultural dialogue and daily experiences that they share with the people of their host country help to build a better and a more peaceful world for us all. Congratulations to all our winners and alternates.”

Fulbright is the most prestigious United States international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research, and for English teaching assistantships overseas. The highly competitive program selects approximately 1,500 award recipients from more than 11,000 applicants each year. UA has received national recognition as a Top Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students five times in recent years.

“Our Fulbright team is proud to introduce each of these honorees to the public,” said Dr. Beverly Hawk, director of global and community engagement at the Center for Community-Based Partnerships. “Their Fulbright Awards are opportunities for them to share their U.S. culture and build ties with the people in their host communities.”

Fulbright Student Research Award recipients:

  • Mathew Cieśla, of Northport, received a Fulbright Award in cognitive science to research “Early Neural Correlates of Adult Second Language Learning” at the University of Warsaw in Poland. He is a 2022 graduate with an interdisciplinary degree in psycholinguistics and foreign languages with studies in German and Polish.
  • Andrew Deaton, of Auburn, Georgia, received a Fulbright Award to research “The Czech Hussite Wars and the Rise of Modernity” at the Centre for Medieval Studies in Prague and the Dissident Networks Project at Masaryk University, Brno, in the Czech Republic. A doctoral candidate in history at UA, he is a Blount Scholars Fellow and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree from UA.
  • Ihuoma Ezebuihe, of Washington, D.C., received a Fulbright Award to research “Translation and Validation of the Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test (MDKT) in Nigeria” at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, College of Medicine. She is a third-year doctoral student in nursing science in UA’s Capstone College of Nursing. She holds a master’s degree in public health, master’s degree in community health and clinical doctorates in medicine and nursing practice.
  • Tegan Murrell, of Western Springs, Illinois, received a Fulbright Award to the University of Oslo, Norway, to study how trauma has passed across the generations among immigrants. A 2021 UA summa cum laude graduate in mathematics with a minor in creative writing, she holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
  • Samuel Watson, of Hazel Green, received a Fulbright Award to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Korean Studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. A 2022 Honors College graduate in computer science with a minor in Korean language, he now holds the distinction of winning four highly competitive national awards: the Gilman Scholarship Award, Boren Scholarship Award, Critical Language Scholarship Award and Fulbright Award during his undergraduate years.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards offer U.S. students the opportunity to serve in an English classroom overseas, assisting the teacher and exchanging culture with the people of the host country.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipients:

  • Judson Braly, of Fairhope, a 2022 graduate in history with a minor in civic engagement, came to UA on an Army ROTC Three-Year (Active Duty) National Scholarship and will be commissioned as an Army aviation officer. He will teach English in Kenya.
  • Nicholas Hayes, of Long Valley, New Jersey, a 2022 summa cum laude Honors College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in German with a minor in interdisciplinary linguistics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with minors in psychology and physics, Phi Beta Kappa member, has been selected to teach in Germany. Hayes is also one of 32 Americans this year to receive a Rhodes Scholarship for study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. He is the 16th Rhodes Scholar in UA history.
  • Sarah Homoky, of Kingsport, Texas, is a 2021 graduate in anthropology, biology and German, an Honors College Randall Research Scholar, and member of Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honor Society. She will teach in Germany.
  • Lauren L’Etang, of Northport, is a 2019 summa cum laude Honors College graduate in Spanish and international studies with a minor in music. A Phi Beta Kappa member, she will teach in Mexico.
  • John “Jack” Lombardo, of Schenectady, New York, was selected to teach in Germany. A secondary education and German major and member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Society, he plans to pursue a career in education.
  • Marie Neubrander, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science with a minor in economics. A summa cum laude UA Honors College graduate, Randall Research Scholar and member of The XXXI, she will teach in Taiwan.
  • Wesley Clay Richmond, of Cypress, Texas, a 2021 summa cum laude graduate in history with a minor in German, will teach English in Germany.
  • Channler Dakota Smith, of Town Creek, a 2022 graduate in electrical engineering with a minor in math, will teach in Taiwan.
  • Bryan Winkler, of York, Pennsylvania, earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in global and cultural perspectives, summa cum laude, as well as a master’s degree in romance languages and a specialty in Spanish literature. He was recognized by UA with the Distinguished Undergraduate Scholar Award and George Griffen Brownell Sr. Award for excellence in Spanish. He will teach in Spain.
  • Leona Yeager, of Northport, is an Honors College graduate and member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. A member of New College, she holds bachelor’s degrees in international studies and interdisciplinary studies, summa cum laude, with a focus on international relations in Asia and interdisciplinary health sciences. She will teach in Mongolia.

Additionally, four students were awarded alternate status in this year’s national competition and may have the opportunity to serve abroad if more funding becomes available or if a finalist is unable to participate. They are Makenna Berry (Israel), Castiel Lisko (Romania), Marco Pflanzen (Colombia) and Declan Smith(Ireland).

Three UA students were awarded Fulbright Canada – MITACS Globalink Internships for summer 2022. The Fulbright-MITACS Globalink is intended for U.S. students to undertake advanced research projects in Canada.

Fulbright Award to Canada recipients:

  • Abigail Foes, of Rockford, Illinois, majoring in mathematics and chemistry with a minor in global health and the Randall Research Scholars Program and member of the UA Honors College, will be contributing to research in Quebec, Canada, titled “Monitoring exposure to food toxins using mass spectrometry.”
  • Abbie Giunta, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, majoring in French and biology with a minor in the Randall Research Scholars Program and member of the Honors College, will be contributing to research in New Brunswick, Canada, titled “Les instruments territoriaux en contexte de gouvernance locale / Territorial policy instruments in local governance context.”
  • Anna Kate Manchester, of Brentwood, Tennessee, majoring in history and political science with a minor in the Randall Research Scholars Program and member of the Honors College, will be contributing to research in Ontario, Canada, titled “Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement in Resource-Rich Communities: A Study of Global South and High North Cases.”

UA Fulbright advisers Megan Legerski, Dr. Matthew Feminella, Dr. Beverly Hawk and Dr. Lucy Kaufman aided students through the applications process for success in the national Fulbright competition.

Students with an interest in applying for next year’s Fulbright program can learn more at international.ua.edu and us.fulbrightonline.org, or email fulbright@ua.edu.

Contact

Diane Kennedy-Jackson, UA Division of Community Affairs, dkkennedy1@ua.edu, 205-348-4480

The University of Alabama, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state’s flagship university. UA shapes a better world through its teaching, research and service. With a global reputation for excellence, UA provides an inclusive, forward-thinking environment and nearly 200 degree programs on a beautiful, student-centered campus. A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. As the state’s largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.

Kansai Gaidai Students Celebrate Earth Day

Kansai Gaidai Students Celebrate Earth Day

Kansai Gaidai students from the Capstone International Center’s English Language Institute participated in Tuscaloosa Sister Cities International’s annual “Spring Greening” clean-up at the Narashino Grove in tribute to Earth Day.

The Narashino Grove is located in downtown Tuscaloosa just off Lurleen Wallace Boulevard between I-359 ramps, near McDonald’s restaurant. The cherry trees were a gift from Narashino to Tuscaloosa in 1986, when the partnership between the cities began. This year will mark the 36th anniversary of the partnership. Students trimmed the cherry trees as well as replenished the mulch at the base of the trees. They also picked up trash.

The Kansai Gaidai students have also volunteered at the 5th Annual Tuscaloosa Heritage Festival and the 36th Annual Sakura Cherry Blossom Festival where they practiced origami and Japanese calligraphy. Kansai Gaidai University is a private Japanese university known for its focus on foreign languages, study abroad, and Asian Studies programs. Their stay continues a long history between the University of Alabama and Kansai Gaidai University.

Fourteen UA Students Win Gilman Scholarships

Fourteen UA students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to participate in study abroad programs.

“The Gilman Scholarship awards our Pell Grant students with an international opportunity that has the potential to transform their studies and lives,” said Dr. Carolina Robinson, director of Education Abroad at UA. “Fourteen winners are the most that UA has produced in one cycle, which reflects on Education Abroad’s commitment to advising and supporting interested students through the process.”

Scholarship winners are selected by the Institute of International Education through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. The latest round of recipients includes:

  • Kayleigh Burkette was selected to study in Australia
  • Jacob Champion was selected to study in Italy
  • Bailee Hughes was selected to study in the United Kingdom
  • Kylie Lundy was selected to study in Hungary
  • Sophia Molinari was selected to study in Italy
  • Asia Moore was selected to study in the United Kingdom
  • Quinn Power was selected to study in Ghana
  • Cassidy Price was selected to study in the United Kingdom
  • Channler Smith was selected to study in Japan
  • Christine Thompson was selected to study in South Africa
  • Samuel Wartel was selected to study in South Korea
  • Shawn White was selected to study in Japan
  • Jayna Whitehead was selected to study in Italy
  • Brannon Zaner was selected to study in France

Gilman awardees receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad program costs, giving them the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies.

Students interested in educational opportunities around the globe can visit the UA Education Abroad website.

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu

Empowered by Doctorate, Graduate to Lead Road Research in Ghana

From: https://news.ua.edu/2021/11/empowered-by-doctorate-graduate-to-lead-road-research-in-ghana/

William Agyemang
William Agyemang

Two years ago, William Agyemang left everything he knew — his wife, his four children, his home in Ghana and his job as a researcher at the Building and Road Research Institute — to pursue a doctoral degree in civil engineering at the Capstone.

Though the journey has been difficult, on Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. he’ll walk across Coleman Coliseum’s stage with his diploma in hand, mission accomplished.

“It had been my dream to continue on with my education to get my Ph.D.,” Agyemang said. “I went to a conference in Ghana where I met Dr. Steven Jones. I expressed my interest in furthering my education to him and it all came to fulfillment in 2019 with me arriving here and concluding in my graduation this December.

William Agyemang

“It has not been easy to be away from my family. I would have liked to bring them here, but I could not. I’ve been able to visit them twice, around December each year. My family is very excited about me coming home.”

“He’s 53 years old and decided to leave his family in Ghana and come here by himself for two and a half years and be in classes with twenty-something-year-olds,” Jones said. “That told me how committed he was, that he was serious and that it’s important to his career. Jones, a James R. Cudworth professor of civil engineering and the deputy director of the Alabama Transportation Institution, said Agyemang is a fabulous student and a standup guy whom he’s now glad to call colleague as Agyemang returns home to become the deputy director of Ghana’s Building and Road Research Institute.

“I’m happy that I could help him and I’m proud of his work. I’m the deputy director of the Alabama Transportation Institute, which funded William’s research, and now my student is the deputy director of Ghana’s Building and Roads Research Institute. So, we have a UA graduate on the leadership team of the transportation institute of an entire country.”

Agyemang said he’s grateful that the knowledge and experience he acquired at UA helped him get the deputy director position. In his new role, he’ll use models to analyze vehicle crash data to gain a more detailed understanding of how crashes occur to ultimately help design safer roadways.

“My research and work will be made available to the national community, which I think will go a long way,” he said. “The hope is to use the data to analyze and cut down on crashes. I hope also to have a good relationship in the future with UA and partner with the University on some of this research.”

Some of Agyemang’s work is already scheduled to be presented to the national community. In mid-January, Jones will present some of Agyemang’s published research at the 101st Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in mid-January in Washington, D.C., which is a premier event in the transportation industry.

“My stay at The University of Alabama has been so interesting,” Agyemang said. “I learned a lot here. If you are focused, UA has the resources for you here and an environment for learning. In the future, I hope that more international students come to UA.”

UA’s Model UN Team Awarded at First Conference of the Season

With a strong start to the 2021-2022 season, the Alabama International Relations Club’s travelling Model United Nations team dominated at Florida State University’s first iteration of NoleMUN in September. After a long year of competing exclusively through online formats, the team was finally able to compete in a hybrid format, with eight delegates competing in person in Tallahassee, Florida, and twelve from in Tuscaloosa. Even with the time away from in-person competition, and a very young delegation, the 20 University of Alabama students proved that they deserve to be one of the top-ranked Model UN teams in the nation. The team spent the weekend debating a plethora of topics ranging from the State Constitution of Florida to the international exploration of outer space, from the rights of mining workers in West Virginia to the issues that plagued the Court of Archduke Ferdinand I.

In total, the team won seven individual awards and received the Best Large Delegation award at the conference. This is the first Best Delegation award in the team’s history but will surely not be the last.

In the United Nations General Assembly Special Political and Decolonization Committee, Sophomore Helen Flemming was awarded Best Delegate (1st Place) for representing the United States, and Freshman Emily Smith received a Verbal Commendation (4th Place) for representing South Africa.

In Blood and Coal: The Battle of Blair Mountain, 1921, Junior Tyler Tannehill received a Verbal Commendation (4th Place) for representing Frank Keeney a leader in the United Mine Workers Association.

In A More Perfect State: The 1968 Florida Constitutional Revision Committee, Senior Gibson Gray and Freshman Bennett Ogle both received Verbal Commendations (4th Place) for representing Florida Politicians working to better their state government.

In Avatar The Last Airbender: The Blitz of Ba Sing Se, Junior Thomas Blackwell received the Outstanding Delegate Award (2nd Place) for his portrayal of King Bumi of Omashu.

In the Director’s Ad-Hoc, Senior and Alabama Model UN Head Delegate Christopher McCarthy received the Best Delegate Award (1st Place) for his portrayal of Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China during the year 2000.

We are incredibly proud of our Model UN team and are excited to see their continued success as they prepare for future conferences at Boston University and Georgetown University.

UA’s Model UN team is a part of the Capstone International Center’s Alabama International Relations Club. The Model UN team is the cornerstone of the AIRC, the premiere student-led global affairs organization at UA that continuously provides opportunities for its members to learn, develop, fund community and make an impact at the Capstone and worldwide.

From ELI to UA

ELI student from Venezuela receives her English Proficiency Certificate

Paola Sanabria Penuela was on one of the last planes out of Colombia before the borders closed due to the pandemic in March 2020.

Paola, originally from Venezuela, spent the summer in Huntsville with her mother and stepfather before starting ELI classes in August.

Ten months later, Paola completed the entire ELI program with good grades and earned an ELI Certificate of Proficiency, which can replace the standardized English test score required for international admission to The University of Alabama.

Paola will begin her undergraduate degree at UA this fall and hopes to become a physiotherapist. For her, “UA is a great place to study because people are friendly, and the campus is amazing!”

Like Paola, every year a number of ELI students successfully complete their Intensive English studies and are accepted into UA.

UA Ascends in Best Delegate Model UN World Division Rankings

UA students on steps.
UA’s Model UN team moved up to No. 15 after an impressive year.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama’s Model UN team moved up 10 spots in the 2020-2021 North American College Model U.N. World Division rankings.

UA ascended to No. 15 after earning the Outstanding Large Delegation at the HallMUN virtual Model UN conference in November and other awards throughout the year.

“In a year when virtual global communication was more important than ever, the Model UN team quickly adapted to the challenges before them,” said Megan Wagner, assistant director of international partnerships and scholarships with UA’s Capstone International Center. “The team leadership was able to expand the team by 11 more students than last year, giving more UA students than ever the ability to learn, practice and compete at the highest level.”

Given the increase in team members and virtual format of conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UA’s Model UN team was able to compete in more conferences and earned the most raw points and awards in the team’s recent history, and its first delegation award at a ranked conference.

Best Delegate awards recognize both individual students and college teams as a whole for their accomplishments in leadership, research, public speaking, resolution-building, negotiation and diplomacy.

In addition to the team awards, members Chris McCarthy, of Brewster, New York, and Sarah Conrad, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, were named to the 2020-2021 North American Collegiate Model U.N. All-Star Team. The all-star team recognizes exemplary individuals in the college MUN community who have made a difference inside and outside of committee.

UA’s Model UN team is part of the Capstone International Center’s Alabama International Relations Club. The Model UN is the cornerstone of the AIRC, the premier student-led global affairs organization at UA that continuously provides opportunities for its members to learn, develop, find community and make an impact at the Capstone and the world beyond. The AIRC is open to all UA students regardless of college or major.

Source: Megan Wagner, megan.wagner@ua.edu

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu

UA Students Earn Gilman International Scholarships

Four University of Alabama students have received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to participate in study abroad programs during the 2021-2022 academic year.

“We are so proud of Alana, Brook, Daniel, and Sophia for winning the Gilman Scholarship! They all were very committed to creating competitive essays and spent a lot of time working with our advisors crafting their applications,” said Dr. Carolina Robinson, director of Education Abroad with UA’s Capstone International Center.

“Each of these students is planning to spend an extended period of time in-country, from a semester to full academic year abroad. Their dedication to learning and cultural immersion, even during a global pandemic, is awe-inspiring.”

Gilman recipients are selected by the Institute of International Education through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. The 2021-2022 awardees are:

Sophia Grillo, a general business major from San Gabriel, California, was selected to study in South Korea.

Alana Thompson, an apparel and textiles major from Florence, will take part in Semester at Sea.

Brooke Wolfe, a kinesiology major from Dallas, Texas, will take part in Semester at Sea.

Daniel Flores Zelaya, a finance major from Rockaway, New Jersey, was selected to study in Ireland.

Gilman awardees receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad program costs, giving them the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies.

Students interested in educational opportunities around the globe can visit international.ua.edu.

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu

International Relations Club Hosts Inaugural Collegiate Model UN Conference

(April 2021) This year marked the inaugural collegiate level Model United Nations Conference hosted by The University of Alabama’s International Relations Cub (AIRC). After two years of planning, the conference, called AIRMUNC, was held April 16-18, 2021. It was organized by a team of 33 UA students led by Secretary General Katie Nuñez, Director General Lucy Philips, and Under-Secretary General Griffin Specker.

Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the conference was held virtually utilizing Zoom and Slack. Regardless of the unusual logistics, the conference was a success, with five schools across the Southeast in attendance: Florida State University, Elon University, University of Georgia, William & Mary, and the University of Texas.

Five committees were created to assess the delegates ability in parliamentary procedure, rhetoric/debate, and collaboration.  The committees planned for AIRMUNC were PTA Moms of Tempe, Arizona, Fusiles y Frijoles: The Reign of Rios Montt, Jedi Council: Star Wars the Clone Wars, Valhalla Can Wait: The Chiefdom of Jarl Bjorn Ironside, and International Monetary Fund.

The delegates and staffers had an excellent experience interacting with each other to create policy and outcomes in each committee, learning parli pro, and getting engulfed into the scenarios they created.

The Model UN circuit of conferences is competitive and cut-throat. AIRMUNC was designed to be more laid back, warm, and friendly with dedicated and passionate staffers. The success of this first conference has garnered interest into what the AIRC has planned for the future.

The AIRC is part of the Capstone International Center. The Model UN traveling team, the high school conference (ALMUN) and the collegiate conference (AIRMUN) are the cornerstones of the AIRC, the premier student-led global affairs organization at UA that continuously provides opportunities for its members to learn, develop, find community and make an impact at the Capstone and the world beyond.

UA’s Model UN team ranked in the top 25 in the world for 2020. If you want to be a member of the AIRC, a club that welcomes undergraduate students from every major, you can reach the president at president.airc@gmail.com, or visit https://international.ua.edu/airc/.

UA Students Win Fulbright Awards for 2021-2022

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A University of Alabama student has received a Fulbright Student Research Award and three students have won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Fulbright is the most prestigious U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research and for English teaching assistantships overseas.

The highly competitive program selects approximately 1,500 award recipients from more than 11,000 applicants each year. UA has received national recognition as a Top Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students for five of the last six years.

In addition to this year’s winners, five UA Fulbright Student Award recipients from last year who had their awards delayed as a result of COVID-19 conditions in their host countries are expected to have an opportunity to serve in 2021–2022 as health conditions improve and travel restrictions ease.

“During a year of extraordinary challenges, every Fulbright student applicant and their faculty and staff advisors rose to those challenges by demonstrating a commitment to the vital work of advancing intercultural understanding throughout the world,” said Dr. Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and global outreach. “No matter the circumstances, UA remains steadfast in providing such global learning opportunities to all of our students. We congratulate our 2021–2022 awardees and alternates, as well as those from last year who will now begin their Fulbright experience after a delay due to the ongoing pandemic.”

2021-2022 Fulbright Student Research Award recipient:

  • Malik Seals, of Columbus, Mississippi, received a Fulbright Award to research “Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis: Investigating Nature’s Immunosuppressant” at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Berlin, Germany. A 2020 UA Honors College graduate in biological sciences, he has been honored with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and membership in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Anderson Society, Jasons Senior Men’s Honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa, Alpha Epsilon Delta and Black Student Union Hall of Fame, and served as president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. He is currently a graduate student in immunology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he is an Albert Schweitzer Fellow.

Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards offer U.S. students the opportunity to serve in an English classroom overseas assisting the teacher and exchanging culture with the people of the host country. The 2021–2022 recipients are:

  • Lindsey Drost, of Holland, Michigan, an experienced English Language tutor and Spanish educator in the Tuscaloosa City Schools and a UA English Language Institute conversation partner. Drost graduated summa cum laude with a BA in German and Spanish and received awards for excellence in German and the best essay in Spanish. Currently enrolled in UA’s master’s program in education, she was selected to teach in Germany.
  • Logan Fenhouse, of Lombard, Illinois, a Blount Interdisciplinary Scholar in the liberal arts, former leader of Beyond Bama Alternative Breaks, Spanish interpreter at Maude Whatley Health Center and mentor with experience tutoring all ages. A 2020 summa cum laude Honors College graduate with degrees in Spanish and interdisciplinary studies and fluency in Spanish, she was chosen to teach in the Canary Islands of Spain.
  • Natasha Stevanovich, of Washington, Michigan, a Delta Phi Alpha German Honor Society and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society member, UA German Club President, Outstanding Service in German award recipient, Model United Nations Club member, Tuscaloosa County Schools ESL Tutor and UA English Language Institute conversation partner. A 2021 Honors College graduate in German and psychology with a minor in creative media with study experience at Humboldt University in Germany and advanced fluency in German, she was selected to teach in Germany.

In addition, four UA students were awarded alternate status for 2021-2022. They will be invited to serve should more openings become available.

UA alternates include Michael Fisher (Germany), Matthew Southern (Spain), Chynna Swann (Thailand) and Katie Tindol (Malaysia).

The 2020-2021 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipients who are expected to travel along with this year’s cohort include Camille Constance Nealey Carr (Colombia), Isabella Rose DeSheplo (Bulgaria), Robert “Chad” Hankins (Germany), Katherine Lightfoot (Germany) and Ian Samlowski (Germany).

“Our campus is proud of these exceptional student leaders in international engagement,” said Dr. Beverly Hawk, director of global and community engagement at the Center for Community-Based Partnerships. “We appreciate the dedicated faculty, staff and administrators who worked with our students on applications for these awards.”

UA Fulbright advisers Megan Wagner, Dr. Matthew Feminella and Dr. Beverly Hawk help students polish applications for success in the national Fulbright competition each year. Students with an interest in applying for next year’s Fulbright program can learn more at https://international.ua.edu and https://us.fulbrightonline.org, or email fulbright@ua.edu.

Contact: Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, bryant.welbourne@ua.edu