Ten U of A Students Named Fulbright Semi-Finalists

Ten University of Arkansas students and recent graduates have been selected as semi-finalists for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program, one of the nation’s most competitive and highly regarded international academic exchange programs.

Both undergraduate and graduate students from a wide array of colleges and programs across the university are represented in this year’s exceptional cohort of semi-finalists.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, seeks to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through educational and cultural exchange. Each year, Fulbright awards grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistantships in countries around the world.

The following students have advanced to the semi-finalist stage for the 2026–2027 Fulbright competition cycle for English Teaching Assistantship awards:

• Jenna Allemand – M.A. in modern languages, B.A. French 2023, B.A. Arabic 2024
• Devon Coward – junior, honors German
• Piper Duke – M.B.A. in business administration and international business, B.S. International Business 2023, magna cum laude
• Anna Fielder – junior, advertising & public relations
• Madeline Gwinner – senior, honors political science and international & global studies
• Janna Morse – senior, honors Spanish and international & global studies
• Daisy Rehbock – B.A. in international & global studies 2024, summa cum laude
• Shawn Sproles – senior, honors electrical engineering and Arabic
• Eliza Staton – senior, honors Spanish and sociology

Rowan Offutt, a 2025 honors graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in biology, has been named a semi-finalist for the Fulbright Study/Research Award.

A student who earns semi-finalist status has been recommended by a national screening committee and will now be reviewed by the host country’s Fulbright commission or U.S. embassy. Final award notifications are expected in the coming months.

“These students were selected because of their outstanding academic records, their campus and community leadership, and their strong commitment to cross-cultural exchange,” said Emily Voight, Fulbright Program adviser and senior associate director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. “Their selection is a significant achievement both for them and for the university.”

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries and awards approximately 2,000 grants annually. Alumni include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows, and heads of state.

Students interested in applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program or other nationally competitive awards should contact the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at awards@uark.edu or visit awards.uark.edu for more information.

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 $3 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.