SU Applauds 13 Semifinalists for U.S. Fulbright Student Awards
SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University has 13 semifinalists for prestigious U.S. Fulbright Student awards for the 2019-20 academic year – its largest number to date.
“They are undergraduates, grad students and alumni – and all have been highly recommended by their faculty,” said Dr. Kristen Walton, director of SU’s Nationally Competitive Fellowships Office. “They represent all of our schools and colleges. Some are transfer students, some are winners of other international fellowships, and many are part of our Honors College.”
Six seniors are being considered for English Teaching Assistantships: Nelcy Avila, a Spanish/secondary education and international studies double major from Waldorf, MD, to Colombia; David Basom, a history/secondary education major from Princess Anne, MD, to India; Lilia Dobos, an English/TESOL major from Salisbury, to Costa Rica; Marie Hils, an early childhood education major from Apex, NC, to Mexico; Kateria Rodriguez, a history major from Centreville, MD, to Macau; and Tara Ward, a English/creative writing major from Fruitland, MD, to Panama.
Lauren DeLong, a senior biology major from Laurel, MD, is up for a research award in Germany. Noah Cline, a senior conflict analysis and dispute resolution major from Franklin, IN, applied for a study award to earn a master’s in Asia-Pacific studies at National Chengchi University in Taiwan.
The two graduate students selected are Kenneth Forest of Centreville, MD, and Catherine Raley of Ridge, MD. Forest, who is earning a master’s in history, is up for an English Teaching Assistantship to Romania. Raley is being considered for a research award in New Zealand; she is an exercise science graduate, now pursuing her master’s in applied health physiology.
Two 2018 alumni also are being considered to teach English abroad: Rachel Rolle of Arnold, MD, who earned a bachelor’s in finance, is hoping to go to Korea. Danesha Owens-Harrell of Suitland, MD, a two-time graduate from social work, applied to go to the Netherlands.
In addition, biology alumna Callista Brown of Leonardtown, MD, applied to study science communication at Technische Universiteit Delft in the Netherlands.
“We doubled our number of applicants from just two years ago, and now half have been recommended as semifinalists, which is amazing news,” Walton said.
More than 30 SU students have won national and international fellowships, scholarships and awards in the past seven years. The Chronicle of Higher Education spotlighted SU as one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Students for 2017-18.
The Fulbright is America’s flagship international exchange program and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
SU students or alumni who are interested in applying for national fellowships, may contact Walton at kpwalton@salisbury.edu for assistance. For more information, visit www.salisbury.edu/nationalfellowships.