Seven U of A Students Selected in Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship Program

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Former Fulbright U.S. Student Award Recipient Ian Wicks served as a Fulbright ETA in Madrid, Spain.

Seven University of Arkansas undergraduate and graduate students have been chosen as semi-finalists for the Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship Program at the United States level. 

The seven U of A students were selected from more than 8,500 applicants during the 2023-24 application cycle. If selected as finalists at the country level, their awards will begin in the fall of 2023 and last for an academic year. The countries these semi-finalists are applying to include Vietnam, Germany, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and South Korea.

The 7 semi-finalists include:

• Tyler Merreighn – senior, honors biology and public health – English Teaching Assistant
• Rebekah Smith – senior, German and history – English Teaching Assistant 
• Jacob Condran – B.A. in history, international and global studies, and political science, ’21, summa cum laude – English Teaching Assistant 
• Sidney Hudelson – senior, honors German and music – English Teaching Assistant 
• Spencer Hazeslip – senior, honors chemistry and Spanish – English Teaching Assistant 
• Sophia Ordaz – M.A. student in comparative literature and cultural studies – English Teaching Assistant 
• Yalma Sifuentes – senior, English – English Teaching Assistant 

The Fulbright program offers two primary awards: the English Teaching Assistantship, which allows students to work as assistants to English teachers across the globe, and the Study or Research Award, which allows students to pursue graduate study or independent research at international institutions. 

Before being considered at the international country level, applicants must first be selected by the U.S. committee. When they are selected, students become semi-finalists before being selected by the chosen country.

“We are delighted that these students have received this important recognition,” said Terry Martin, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “It is an extraordinarily competitive process and an exceptional accomplishment—one that has the potential to lead to life-changing experiences for them and for those they connect with across the world. We want to celebrate these students, their departments and colleges, and all those who mentored them along the way.”

“In addition to celebrating, these talented students, I want to welcome our newly appointed Fulbright Program Advisor, Emily Wright, senior associate director for the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards,” said Suzanne McCray, who directs the program. “She will be guiding Fulbright applicants through the process in the future, beginning with the 2024-2025 competition cycle which will open in a little more than a month. We are working to expand outreach, so that even more students have these exceptional opportunities.”

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. 

The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in over 160 countries worldwide. 

Fulbright grant recipients are selected based on their academic or professional achievement, as well as the leadership potential they display in their fields. The Fulbright program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

More than 80 U of A students and alumni have received Fulbright U.S. Student Awards in countries around the world, including Belgium, Botswana, Mexico, and South Korea. Students or alumni interested in learning more about the program should reach out to the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu or 479-575-8673.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.