The University of Michigan and the International Institute are proud to announce that we are once again a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar finalists. Each year the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces the top producing institutions for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program.
Congratulations to the 18 students and 7 scholars who received Fulbright awards in 2021-22! The University of Michigan is among five institutions in the country--and one of only two doctoral institutions--to be named a Top Producer for both the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar programs. U-M consistently ranks highly among its peer institutions, and is the top-ranked public university for producing Fulbright finalists this year.
The Fulbright Student competition is administered at the International Institute and supported by several dedicated advisors as well U-M faculty who guide students through the application process.
The full list of Fulbright U.S. Student grantees and confirmed U.S. Scholars is below, and additional information about the current grantees can be found here. For more information about Fulbright and how to apply, visit the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program and Fulbright U.S. Student Program pages on our website. Students and alumni are encouraged to sign up for information sessions and advising as they prepare applications for the 2023-24 program year.
2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Finalists
(Name, award type, country)
Gretchen Andrews, Open Study/Research Award (Arts), Argentina
Ross Bernhaut, Fulbright-Nehru Open Study/Research Award, India
Cassandra Christian, Fulbright/IE Business School Master’s Award, Spain
Julia Ebben, Open Study/Research Award, Germany
Evan Harary, Open Study/Research Award, Ukraine
Elizabeth Heald, English Teaching Assistant Award, Spain
Molly Kalb, English Teaching Assistant Award, Cyprus
Timothy Leonard, Open Study/Research Award, Germany
Magdalena Mihaylova, English Teaching Assistant Award, Spain
Nicholas Natzke, English Teaching Assistant Award, Mongolia
Paige Newhouse, Open Study/Research Award, Germany
Rhianna Nissen, Open Study/Research Award, Germany
Joseph Park, Open Study/Research Award, South Korea
Jacob Roodvoets, English Teaching Assistant Award, Taiwan
Sylvia Simioni, Open Study/Research Award, Honduras
Martina Villalobos, Open Study/Research Award, Germany
Claire Weil, English Teaching Assistant Award, Spain
Lai Wo, Open Study/Research Award, Indonesia
2021-22 Fulbright U.S. Scholars
(Name, school or college, foreign institution, country)
Stephen DesJardins, School of Education/Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Porto, Portugal
Gary Freed, Medical School/School of Public Health, University of Groningen, Netherlands
Kenn Oldham, College of Engineering, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Finland
Bruce Tharp, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, Glasgow School of Art, United Kingdom
The Fulbright Program was established over 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. 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’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 people from all backgrounds—recent university graduates, teachers, scientists and researchers, artists, and more—have participated in the Fulbright Program and returned to their home countries with an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a new network of colleagues and friends.
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 40 heads of state or government, 61 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 76 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who carry forward the Fulbright mission of enhancing mutual understanding.
Fulbright is active in more than 160 countries worldwide and partners with participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States. Many of these organizations also provide direct and indirect support. ECA sponsors the Fulbright program, and several non-profit, cooperative partners implement and support the program on the Bureau’s behalf. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit eca.state.gov/fulbright.
