Thirty-four students and alumni awarded Fulbright grants
Nearly three dozen University of Notre Dame students have been named finalists, and another eight alternates, for the 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. The finalists include 26 undergraduate students and eight graduate students.
Established in 1946, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers students and young professionals from all backgrounds the opportunity to study or teach abroad with support from the U.S. government.
In applying for the award, undergraduates work closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), and graduate students with the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships.
Jeff Thibert is the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE.
“On behalf of CUSE, I want to congratulate this year’s Fulbright finalists and alternates, while also acknowledging the dedication and hard work demonstrated by all of those who applied,” Thibert said. “Notre Dame is poised to have its 11th consecutive appearance on the Fulbright Top Producing Institution list in 2025, and I believe this sustained level of success has been possible because of the exceptional global opportunities provided by Notre Dame Global, the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures and globally oriented departments and programs; the outstanding teaching and tutoring experiences that students pursue through the Institute for Educational Initiatives, the Robinson Community Learning Center and other organizations; and the specialized Fulbright advising that students receive from the CUSE team, most recently from Elise Rudt, Emily Hunt and Mathilda Nassar.”
Mary Ann McDowell, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for professional development in the Graduate School, said, “We are immensely proud of all of the Notre Dame students that have been recognized with a prestigious Fulbright award. The University of Notre Dame has consistently had the distinction of being a top producer of Fulbright students. Our continued success confirms that our students are outstanding and want to be a force for good throughout the world! I am grateful to the fantastic staff in the Graduate School’s Office of Grants and Fellowships and in the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement that provide excellent support to our students as they navigate through the Fulbright submission process.”
The 34 finalists are:
Undergraduate
• Abigail Abikoye, biological sciences, English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Jessica Ashman, honors anthropology and global affairs (supplemental), study and research award to Ecuador
• Sarah Bender, political science and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to the Slovak Republic
• Meg Beuter, American studies and English, English teaching assistantship to Kenya
• Emily Braun, sociology, English teaching assistantship to Madagascar
• Lindsay Burgess, science-business and German (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Germany
• Sofia Casillas, political science and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Mexico
• Nick Clarizio, honors anthropology, study and research grant to Italy
• Bethany Cummings, honors sociology and Italian, study and research grant to Italy
• Jensen Enterman, economics and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Spain
• Megan Fahrney, political science and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Benin
• Clara Grillo, honors Chinese and economics, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan
• Chrís Hernandez, anthropology, English teaching assistantship to Mexico
• William Hurley, economics and global affairs (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Taiwan
• Cormac Huyen, preprofessional studies, study and research award to Mexico
• Isabelle Lukau, biochemistry and Africana studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Belgium
• Teddy Maginn, honors economics and applied and computational mathematics and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Colombia
• Katherine O’Neal, psychology, English teaching assistantship to the Czech Republic
• Paola Ortiz, political science and Latino studies (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Mexico
• Audra Pesko, honors economics and statistics (supplemental), English teaching assistantship to Kosovo
• Erin Reilly, honors history and Chinese, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan
• Adam Salek, honors sociology, English teaching assistantship to the Palestinian Territories
• William Smith, theology, English teaching assistantship to the Slovak Republic
• Peter Tomei, economics, English teaching assistantship to Cambodia
• Victor Wicks, international economics, study and research award to Mexico
• Allie Wu, honors neuroscience and behavior, English teaching assistantship to Taiwan
Graduate
• Michael Averill, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Colombia
• Lincoln Bargender, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Germany
• Christopher Dean, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to the Czech Republic
• Erin Fennessy, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to France
• Maria Gargano, doctoral candidate in peace studies and psychology, study and research grant to Mexico
• Emma Hokoda, Master of Global Affairs, study and research grant to Guatemala
• Lauren Sinnock, Master of Education (Alliance for Catholic Education), English teaching assistantship to Botswana
• Stephanie Truskowski, doctoral candidate in history, study and research grant to Austria
Latest University News
- Reasons to serveHistory, West Point, and 9/11 memorial inspire ND ROTC students in New York About two dozen seniors in the Notre Dame Army ROTC program were impressed with the mealtime rituals at the United States Military Academy at West Point: the corps formations…
- Notre Dame faculty, students and administrators reflect on experiences in the Middle EastSeveral distinguished experts from the University of Notre Dame gathered Dec. 4 at the Eck Visitors Center Auditorium to discuss their personal and professional connections to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. This was the third event in the Israel-Palestine Series of the 2024-25 Notre Dame Forum on “What Do We Owe Each Other?”
- Assistant VP Dennis Brown retiring after three-plus decades at Notre DameDennis Brown, assistant vice president in the Office of Public Affairs and Communications at the University of Notre Dame and its spokesman from 2008 to 2023, will retire at the end of December after a 33-year career at the University.
- Notre Dame Stadium becomes first outdoor university venue to move to Wi-Fi 6E standardWhen nearly 80,000 fans gather for the college football playoff game between the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University on Dec. 20, they will enjoy an improved overall gameday experience, thanks to the implementation of Wi-Fi 6E standard power. Notre Dame Stadium became the first outdoor college venue to implement Wi-Fi 6E this fall. To do so, the University of Notre Dame’s Office of Information Technology partnered with PIER Group to overhaul the stadium’s wireless network.
- Notre Dame surpasses 87 percent for undergraduate study abroad participationThe University of Notre Dame has once again received national recognition for its commitment to internationalization and global education in newly released rankings from the Institute of International Education. For the 2022-23 academic year, study abroad participation among Notre Dame undergraduates increased by more than 10 percentage points from the previous year — from 77 to 87.5 percent, according to new data published in the Open Doors report.
- In memoriam: Frank H. Collins, professor emeritus in the Department of Biological SciencesFrank Hadley Collins, professor emeritus in the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame, died Nov. 16 in Tucson, Arizona. He was 80.
