Two U of A Students Selected for U.S. Fulbright Student Grant

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Jacob Condran (left) and Spencer Hazeslip

Two U of A students — one undergraduate and one recent alumnus — have been chosen as recipients for 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Jacob Condran of Little Rock and Spencer Hazeslip of Cabot were named finalists for English teaching assistantships (ETAs). 

Recipients of the awards are referred to as finalists by the Fulbright Program. Fulbright finalists are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as their records of service and leadership potential in their respective fields. Upon acceptance of their award, each student will become a Fulbright student and complete the upcoming academic year in their chosen host country. 

As the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, the Fulbright is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and those of other countries. The program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State.

Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in more than 160 countries. 

“The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an amazing opportunity for students across the country to teach, study or conduct research abroad,” said Terry Martin, provost of the U of A. “The University of Arkansas is fortunate to have two recent graduates in Jacob Condran and Spencer Hazeslip, who are receiving English teaching assistantships. They will be participating in an important cultural exchange that benefits student and teacher alike, as well as the countries involved.”

FULBRIGHT 2023-24 FINALISTS 

Jacob Condran graduated summa cum laude in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in history, international and global studies, and political science. He is a finalist for an English teaching assistantship in Azerbaijan. 

Currently, Condran is pursuing a graduate degree from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and the University of Konstanz in Konstanz, Germany.  

At the U of A, Condran was heavily involved in local refugee issues, working as a refugee employment intern for Canopy NWA and as fundraising coordinator of Students with Refugees. He was active with the Peace Corps Prep Program and a student ambassador for the Office of Study Abroad. 

During the summer before his junior year, he interned with the U.S. Department of State in Nicosia, Cyprus. While studying in the Czech Republic, Condran volunteered with Dignity, a Czech refugee resettlement organization; taught English; and served as a graduate research assistant.  

"Being a Fulbright ETA in Azerbaijan next year is an honor that will provide my future students and me the opportunity to exchange Azerbaijani and American culture — and Arkansas culture as well,” Condran said. “Building upon my time in the Czech Republic, making intercultural connections in the post-Soviet world is now more important than ever, and I am looking forward to my time in the Caucasus."

Spencer Hazeslip graduated summa cum laude in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. He was an Honors College Fellow, an Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholar and received a U.S. State Department Critical Language Scholarship to study Russian. Hazeslip is a finalist for an English teaching assistantship to Kazakhstan. 

On campus, Hazeslip was involved in the Russian-Eurasian Student Organization, volunteered for the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry and tutored students studying Russian. He conducted his honors thesis research in chemistry. After his time as an English teaching assistant, he plans to attend medical school. 

“Being a Fulbright recipient is a great honor,” Hazeslip said. “I am excited to represent Arkansas as a cultural ambassador and fully immerse myself in the language and culture of Kazakhstan. I am grateful for this opportunity to forge lasting friendships and help bring two ends of the earth a little closer together.” 

“Jacob Condran and Spencer Hazeslip are both exceptional students and excellent representatives of the University of Arkansas in every way,” said Kathryn Sloan, interim dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “They will have life-changing experiences through this program and will be excellent ambassadors for the campus, the state and the nation.”

The application for the 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program is now available at us.fulbrightonline.org. Opportunities are available for graduating seniors, current graduate students and recent alumni of all fields of study. 

The campus deadline for U of A applicants is Tuesday, Sept. 12. Emily Wright, senior associate director for the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, serves as the campus’ Fulbright Program adviser and will assist students with the application and campus interview process. 

Over 100 U of A students and alumni have been named Fulbright U.S. Student Program Finalists. Students interested in applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, or to other prestigious scholarships, should contact the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu or 479-575-8673.  

About the Fulbright Program: For over 75 years, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants — chosen for their academic merit and leadership qualities — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world. Over 2,000 diverse U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants annually to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas. In addition, more than 900 U.S. scholars, artists, and professionals from all backgrounds teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. The U.S. Department of State sponsors the Fulbright program, and several non-profit, cooperative partners implement and support the program on the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ behalf.” (https://fulbrightprogram.org)

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 and Economic Development News.