CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Eight University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students and recent graduates were offered Fulbright grants to pursue international education, research and teaching experiences around the globe this coming year.
Six of the students have accepted grants from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which builds international relationships to help solve global challenges. This flagship international educational exchange program of the U.S. government awards grants to students based on their academic and professional achievement as well as their ambassadorial skills and leadership potential. The Fulbright student program will fund 2,150 U.S. citizens to live abroad for the 2024-25 academic year.
“We are so proud of these aspiring scholars who join the hundreds of other University of Illinois students and thousands of young ambassadors from across the country to learn, grow and share in their ambassadorial and scholarly missions as Fulbrighters,” said David Schug, director of the National and International Scholarships Program at Illinois. “And we are currently working with many seniors, graduate students and recent alumni to continue this legacy.”
Lydia Alvarez from Chicago will teach English in Spain. She received a bachelor’s degree in Latina/Latino studies and Spanish in 2021 and is currently pursuing a master’s in education, policy, organization and leadership along with a certificate in international education administration at Illinois. She studied abroad in Granada, Spain, where she volunteered as an English teaching assistant before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She plans to work in bilingual education in order to serve Spanish-speaking communities.
Roshan Betkerur will use his award to research dementia-care models in the Netherlands. Betkerur attended Elgin High School and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois. His exposure to care systems in two culturally different countries, the U.S. and India, informs his comparative perspective on the importance of socio-cultural difference in the design and implementation of elder care. His goal is to attend medical school and work in geriatric care.
Amelia Kolany majored in Spanish and psychology at Illinois and studied abroad in Granada, Spain. A graduate of Palatine High School, she will teach English in Spain. Her goal is to pursue a career in international education, advising college students who wish to study abroad.
Andrew Schwenk is pursuing a doctorate in Germanic languages and literatures at Illinois and is going to study early modern German fiction at the Herzog August Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel, Germany. Once he completes his dissertation, he plans to pursue a career in academia or translation.
“Fulbright offers remarkable opportunities for students” said Dana Johnson, director of external fellowships in the Graduate College. “I continue to be impressed by the range of projects pursued by Illinois students and encourage anyone interested in adding an international dimension to their program of study to explore the possibilities of a Fulbright grant.”