LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Press Release) -- The University of Louisville announced on Friday that 14 of its student scholars have won 2011 Fulbright awards, tying the number from last year.
The total is expected to place U of L among the nation's top Fulbright-producing schools for the second year in a row. In 2010 U of L had more student Fulbrights than such esteemed research institutions as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University and Georgetown University and ranked in the top 10 among public institutions.
The U.S. Student Fulbright Program, funded by the U.S. State Department, pays for students to study, teach or conduct research abroad for up to a year. Award winners must demonstrate academic merit, leadership potential and an ability to serve as cultural ambassadors.
"We see these awards as a barometer of how well we're helping academically gifted students reach their highest potential," U of L President James Ramsey said. "It's gratifying to be the top Fulbright school in Kentucky for five years running."
The university's Board of Overseers launched a program in 2000 to help U of L students win highly competitive scholarships. Since then, 60 U of L students have won U.S. Student Fulbright awards and dozens of others have won Truman, Boren and other top scholarships.
Patricia Condon, who heads U of L's National and International Scholarship Opportunities office and works closely with student applicants, said the university community has helped make the program successful.
"We have faculty and staff who are always on the lookout for students who would be good candidates for a Fulbright or similar scholarship," Condon said. "It's so rewarding to help students explore the world."
U of L's 2011 U.S. Student Fulbright recipients, who are all from Kentucky and graduated in 2011 unless otherwise noted, are:
• Emily Baldock, Ashland, a graduate with an accounting degree, will conduct research on auditing standards and fraud detection in Australia.
• Jonathan Bender, Fort Thomas, a graduate who majored in biology and French, will conduct breast cancer research in France.
• Whitney Bennett, Henderson, a graduate with an anthropology degree, will teach in Turkey.
• Amy Fossaluzza, Louisville, a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in teaching, will teach in South Korea.
• Chelsey Hall, Brooks, a graduate with an economics degree, will teach in Macau.
• Anna Hellmann, Lakeside Park, a graduate with a biology degree, will conduct research on tuberous sclerosis complex, a tumor disease, in Wales.
• Charles Helms, Owensboro, a graduate with a political science degree, will teach English in Kosovo.
• Quentin Johnson, Symsonia, a graduate with a political science degree, will teach English in Malaysia.
• Cynthia Martinez, Louisville, a 2010 graduate with a master's degree in Spanish, will teach English in Brazil.
• Nicole Moran, Alexandria, a graduate who majored in English, history and humanities, will teach English in Malaysia.
• Julianne Nguyen, Union, a graduate with an English degree, will teach English in Spain.
• Emily Rigdon, Paducah, a 2009 graduate who majored in economics and Spanish, will conduct research on public policy and education in Chile.
• Erica Summe, Florence, a graduate who majored in political science and Spanish, will teach English in Argentina.
• Robert Works, Independence, a 2010 graduate who majored in political science and Spanish, will conduct research on judicial reform in Colombia.
