Office of Undergraduate Education

      Four Penn Staters named finalists for 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Award

      Another four named as alternates for program that gives graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals the opportunity to work, live and learn abroad.

      The Fulbright U.S. Student Award gives graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals the opportunity to work, live and learn abroad. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn State. Creative Commons

      UNIVERISTY PARK, Pa. — Several Penn State students and alumni will travel abroad for the 2023–24 school year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  

      Each year, the U.S. Department of State works with its 140 partner countries to give graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals the opportunity to work, live and learn abroad. 

      The following Penn State students and alumni have been named as 2023-24 Fulbright finalists, and include the awards they received and their country of study.

      • Ahmed Abdeen, medicine, College of Medicine; Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health, Peru. 
      • Luisina Kemanian-Leites, international politics and Latin-American studies, College of the Liberal Arts; English Teaching Assistant Award, Colombia. 
      • Sydney McQuiggan, German, College of the Liberal Arts, and World Languages Education, College of Education; English Teaching Assistant Award, Germany. 
      • Andrew Yeich, medicine, College of Medicine; Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowships in Public Health, Vietnam. 

      The following also have been named as Fulbright alternates: 

      • Zachary Clark, history, College of the Liberal Arts; Open Study/Research Award, Tawain. 
      • Nicolas Fay, writing and digital media, Penn State Berks; English Teaching Assistant Award, Turkey. 
      • Sophie Lelei, data sciences and statistics, Eberly College of Science; English Teaching Assistant Award, Senegal. 
      • Richard Yoder, history, College of the Liberal Arts; Open Study/Research Award, France. 

      About the Fulbright U.S. Student Program 

      The Fulbright student finalists are among the approximately 2,100 U.S. citizens who earned funding to study, conduct research and teach abroad during the 2023–24 school year. Recipients are selected based on their academic and professional achievement, as well as their record of service and leadership potential.  

      The Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 participants the opportunity to study abroad since its inception in 1946. The primary source of funding is appropriated by Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The participating governments and host institutions along with corporations and foundations also provide support.  

      2024-25 application deadlines coming up in August 

      At most Penn State campuses, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring under the direction of Tineka Lebrun. It is recommended that students have an application started in the Fulbright portal by Aug. 7 in order to participate in the on-campus review process.  

      The on-campus deadline for the upcoming 2024-25 study/research award is set for Aug. 14. The English teaching assistant award on-campus deadline is Aug. 28. Students interested in learning more or applying are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a member of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring.  

      Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education. 

       

      Last Updated May 4, 2023

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