Reaching Their Potential

Emory will send 13 students and recent graduates across the globe this year as part of the 2016 Fulbright US Student Program.

“We had a very strong group of Fulbright applicants this year, and one of the largest,” says Megan Friddle, director of Emory’s National Scholarships and Fellowships Program, of the 43 Emory applicants for the honor.

Named for the late Sen. J. William Fulbright, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the US government. Designed to increase understanding between Americans and the people of other countries, it offers students the opportunity to conduct research, study, and teach in more than 140 countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

Emory’s finalists, who are among about 8,000 selected each year, fall into two programs: teaching and research. Five of the finalists selected study in Emory’s graduate programs, including four from the Laney School of Graduate Studies and one from the School of Medicine.

All of the graduate students will conduct research as part of their Fulbright year, some of which will contribute to their dissertations, says Jay Hughes, assistant program director for fellowships at Laney. The scholars’ academic interests range from Buddhist tradition to health care in Turkey.

“These scholars’ work highlights the importance of humanistic-based inquiry to understanding and engaging global challenges,” Hughes says.