For the sixth year in a row, the College of Charleston has been named one of the top producers of Fulbright students among master’s-level colleges and universities in the United States. The College ranked No. 15 on the list recently released by the Fulbright Program.
Three College of Charleston students received Fulbright awards for the 2020-21 academic year. A total of 12 College of Charleston students applied for Fulbrights during that period.
“The College of Charleston is proud to be named again a top producer of Fulbright students,” says College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an extraordinary opportunity for our talented scholars, and this recognition as a top producer reflects well on the caliber of students the College of Charleston attracts, develops and graduates.”
However, just as it has impacted many elements of life, the Fulbright process has been impacted by COVID-19.
“The entire process from starting the application, to editing, to campus interviews has been moved online,” says Jesslyn Collins-Frohlich, director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. “Nonetheless, students have continued to produce impressive applications and earn recognition as semi-finalists and Fulbright award winners. Fulbright has also worked to ensure that all award winners are able to complete their grants despite the complications posed by COVID.”
In fact, for the current academic year, the College had 21 Fulbright applications of which seven students were recently selected as semi-finalists for the 2021-22 Fulbright cycle.
The Fulbright Program was created 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.
2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program. Celebrations throughout the year will highlight the impressive accomplishments and legacy of the program and its alumni over its first 75 years, both in the United States and around the world. A dedicated 75th anniversary website (www.fulbright75.org) will be updated throughout 2021 to showcase Fulbright alumni, partner countries and anniversary events.
College of Charleston students can begin the process of applying for Fulbright awards by reaching out to the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2022-2023 cycle.
