Sixteen students and recent alumni from Vanderbilt University have been awarded Fulbright awards for the 2020-21 academic year.
Vanderbilt is among the U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most Fulbright U.S. students for 2020-21. Each year the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces the top-producing institutions for the Fulbright program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. The Chronicle of Higher Education publishes the list annually.
Fulbright recipients typically spend an academic year in their host countries, exploring the unique opportunities the award presents and engaging with the local community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of this year’s scholars are scheduled to depart in the summer or fall of 2021.
Vanderbilt’s 2020-21 grantees are:
- Evana Ahsan, Ed., human development and counselling, Class of 2020 – South Korea, English Teaching Assistantship
- Jessica Camenzuli, Ed., learning and design, Class of 2020 – Malta, English Teaching Assistantship
- Leah Field, Asian studies and political science, Class of 2020 – Taiwan, English Teaching Assistantship
- Neha Gandra, English and neuroscience, Class of 2020 – Thailand, English Teaching Assistantship
- Ryan Grawe, economics and political science, Class of 2020 – Brazil, English Teaching Assistantship
- Richard Hall, Ph.D. candidate in leadership and policy studies, Class of 2022 – North Macedonia, open study/research award
- Mary Hanna, political science and medicine, health and society, Class of 2020 – Spain, English Teaching Assistantship
- Maya Krause, Ph.D. candidate in anthropology, Class of 2022 – Peru, open study/research award
- Aaron Niederman, engineering science, Class of 2020 – Taiwan, English Teaching Assistantship
- Jackie Olson, German and law, Class of 2020 – Germany, English Teaching Assistantship
- Adrienne Parks, medicine, health and society and Spanish, Class of 2020 – Spain, English Teaching Assistantship
- Abby Perry, molecular and cellular biology and Russian, Class of 2020 – Russia, English Teaching Assistantship
- Kathryn Peters, Ph.D. candidate in anthropology, Class of 2022 – Paraguay, open study/research award
- Olivia Rastatter, early childhood education, Class of 2020 – Belgium, English Teaching Assistantship
- Amelia West, human and organizational development, Class of 2018 – South Africa, English Teaching Assistantship
- Angela Ye, elementary education, Class of 2020 – Taiwan, English Teaching Assistantship
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright program has supported more than 400,000 scholars from all backgrounds—including recent university graduates, teachers, scientists and researchers, and creative and performing artists—in gaining an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a new network of colleagues and friends. Fulbright alumni have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs and university presidents, as well as leading journalists, artists, scientists and teachers. They include 60 Nobel Laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize winners, 75 MacArthur Fellows and thousands of leaders across the private, public and nonprofit sectors.
The Fulbright Program seeks to foster mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse bilateral international educational exchange program. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Career Center supports undergraduates, graduate students and recent Vanderbilt University alumni in the fellowship application process. The 2022-23 Fulbright application will open on April 1.
Students and alumni interested in applying for the Fulbright Scholarship or other competitive awards should contact Elizabeth Harrington Lambert, associate director of Fellowships and Scholarships.