“[The Fulbright Program] is a once in a lifetime opportunity: 11,000 students apply and only 1600 get accepted,” said Beverly Hawk, a Fulbright program advisor and director of program services in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships who was a Fulbright winner herself.
Teresa Wise, UA associate provost for international education and global outreach, said the record-breaking number of recipients reflects well on the University.
“The more Fulbright students a university has, the better quality of the university,” Wise said.
Fulbright award winners receive grants that include round-trip transportation, health care benefits and maintenance for an academic year.
“Doing this program at a young age is great because it is fully-funded,” said Megan Wagner, Capstone International Center coordinator.
Jenna Reynolds, a UA graduate with degrees in Spanish and philosophy, won a teaching award through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. She plans on teaching high school English in Spain.
“The [Fulbright] program gives me the opportunity to promote an understanding between two cultures,” she said.
Kathryn Crenshaw, a 2014 UA graduate in economics and Spanish, received the award the second time she applied.
“That turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” she said, “because I was able to finish up my senior year and focus on my studies and extracurriculars.”
Crenshaw plans on traveling to Brazil as a teaching assistant for an English professor.
Recipients can choose where they would prefer to teach or research abroad as well as where they would like to go. Crenshaw, who visited Brazil about two years ago, said it would be an honor for her to return and contribute to the country’s growth.
Reynolds and Crenshaw encourage students to apply for this life-changing opportunity.
“I believe that the Fulbright will be meaningful experience for any motivated, impassioned student, and I highly recommend applying to all my peers at UA,” Crenshaw said.
Students and recent alumni who want more information about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should visit 135 B.B. Comer Hall, international.ua.edu or us.fulbrightonline.org.
In the original publication of this article, The Crimson White stated that only 16 students receive a Fulbright Award. The correct number of recipients is 1600. The Crimson White regrets this error and is happy to set the record straight.
