Union recognized as a top producer of Fulbright students

Union has again been recognized among colleges and universities that produced the most Fulbright U.S. Students.

This marks the fifth time in six years the College has been honored.

The distinction comes from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Fulbright Program is the government’s flagship international educational exchange program.

Union produced four Fulbright Student award winners in 2022-23, ranking it among the best of similar institutions. All are English Teaching Assistants:

Emma Devaney ’22 - (Montenegro)
Adenike Hickson ’22 - (Taiwan)
Melissa Lucano ’22 - (Taiwan)
Unglid Paul ’22 - (Cote d’Ivoire)

Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The Fulbright competition is administered at Union through the office of National Fellowships and Scholarships.

“The Fulbright is one of my favorite fellowship opportunities for Union seniors and recent alums due to its mission to connect people and nations through cross-cultural exchange,” said Lynn Evans, director of National Fellowships and Scholarships.

“Being recognized as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution speaks to Union's dedication to helping students forge global connections, transcend boundaries and value diverse perspectives.”

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants - chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to solutions to shared international concerns.

Nearly 2,000 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in over 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 160 countries throughout the world.

The program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, roughly 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the U.S. annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.

“On behalf of President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken, congratulations to the colleges and universities recognized as 2022-2023 Fulbright Top Producing Institutions, and to all the applicants who were selected for the Fulbright Program this year,” said Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“Thanks to the visionary leadership of these institutions, administrators, and advisors, a new generation of Fulbrighters – changemakers, as I like to say – will catalyze lasting impact on their campus, in their communities and around the world.”

Fulbright alumni have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners and 78 MacArthur Fellows.