University News

February 13, 2024 | Mike Enright '88 (CLAS), University Communications

UConn Among National Leaders in Fulbright U.S. Student Program

UConn had 10 students named to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in 2023-24, a record-setting number for the school

Aerial image of the University of Connecticut during Fall 2023.

Aerial image of the University of Connecticut during Fall 2023. (Tom Rettig/UConn Photo)

The University of Connecticut has been recognized among the top producers of Fulbright U.S. Student Program award recipients for the first time in school history. These results are from U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and were featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

UConn had 10 students named to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in 2023-24, a record-setting number for the school.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.

“UConn’s record number of student Fulbrights in the current academic year shows the depth of our commitment to preparing Huskies to be global citizens engaged with the world,” says UConn President Radenka Maric. “This tremendous accomplishment speaks not only to the talent and passion of our students, but also to the dedication of the faculty and staff who helped them achieve this remarkable distinction. I am thrilled to have so many talented scholars help us in our mission to advance knowledge and tackle global challenges.”

Fulbright U.S. Student program logoUConn has a long history with the Fulbright U.S Student Program, dating back to 1952 when recipient Louis La Rochelle traveled to France to teach English. Since then, 143 UConn students have received awards to 53 different countries. UConn’s 10 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awardees in 2023-24 are undergraduates, graduate students, and recent alumni who have traveled to various parts of the globe to perform research and teach.

Among UConn’s 10 Fulbrights this year is Stephanie Schofield ’23 (CLAS), a native of Shelton, who is spending 2023-24 at the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University on a Fulbright research award.

“Contributing to groundbreaking research while connecting and working with people from all over the world has been a highlight of my Fulbright experience,” says Schofield.  “Living abroad has revolutionized my view of the world around me. Heidelberg has very quickly become my second home, full of wonderful new friends, colleagues, and the most beautiful castle I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.”

“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community,” says Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them, and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over.”

UConn’s appearance on the list of top producing institutions is the culmination of efforts by staff in the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) and the Office of Experiential Global Learning (EGL), as well as other organizational changes over the years designed to increase support for students seeking Fulbrights. The position of Fulbright Program Advisor, the individual responsible for endorsing applications submitted by UConn students, was moved into ONSF in 2013. Since then, 56 UConn students have received grants through the program, a nearly three-fold increase over the total from the preceding 10-year period. LuAnn Saunders-Kanabay served as program advisor from 2013-2023 and worked closely with all 10 current grantees during the application stage of the process.

Stephanie Schofield ’23 (CLAS) of Shelton, is spending the 2023-24 year at the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University on a Fulbright research award.
Stephanie Schofield ’23 (CLAS) of Shelton, is spending the 2023-24 year at the Institute of Human Genetics at Heidelberg University on a Fulbright research award. (Contributed photo)

UConn’s current Fulbright Program Advisor Michael Cunningham was a part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program himself, having received a research award to Italy in 1997-98. “UConn’s recognition as a Fulbright ‘Top Producing Institution’ is a testament to the quality of our students,” says Cunningham, who also serves as assistant director of ONSF.

“I am grateful that Fulbright has chosen to support their work and, as a result, that they are now experiencing the challenges and rewards of living in a different culture. I never felt more American than I did when I first arrived in Italy for my own Fulbright, but over time, through conversations with my Italian friends, I gained a whole new perspective on the world.”

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/

 

The Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF) at UConn is a resource for students interested in learning more about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and other externally-funded scholarships and fellowships that support both graduate and undergraduate study. ONSF is part of Enrichment Programs and is open to all graduate and undergraduate students at the University, including students at the regional campuses. For more information about Fulbright specifically, contact Michael Cunningham.