Nineteen Michigan State University students have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year. Two other candidates have been named as alternates in the competitions.

Sponsored by the Department of State and the Department of Education, Fulbright awards are granted to 1,600 U.S. citizens for use in more than 155 countries annually. The programs are designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries and to fund individual doctoral students who conduct research in other countries, in modern foreign languages and area studies.

Approximately 310,000 individuals have participated in the Program since its inception in 1946.

Grants are awarded in all fields of study, allowing recipients to design their own program and pursue one academic year of study or research. In addition, Fulbright English teaching assistantships are available to more than 50 countries.

Of the nineteen new fellows, eighteen were selected for a Fulbright program by the Institute of International Education, which will cover costs, fees and expenses associated with study, research and/or teaching assistantships abroad.  The nineteenth fellow was given an English teaching award directly by the Fulbright Commission in Austria.

At MSU, the Fulbright Program is administered by International Studies and Programs where a faculty member is available to advise students and faculty regarding the application process. For more information about the program, visit www.isp.msu.edu/funding/fulbright.htm (http://www.isp.msu.edu/funding/fulbright.htm)

The new MSU Fulbright students are:

• Alex Galarza, a doctoral student in history will research soccer clubs in mid-twentieth century Argentina
• Jennifer Eaglin, a doctoral student in history will research the development of the ethanol industry in Brazil under the military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s
•  Todd Ellick, a doctoral student in history will research in Namibia
• Connor Ryan, a doctoral student in English will research film in Nigeria
• John Somerville, a doctoral student in history will do research in China
• Kara Stevens, a doctoral student in fisheries will do research in Nicaragua
• Catherin Cloutier, a graduate student in community psychology has been awarded the mtvU-Fulbright award developing youth leadership through Dance for Life to combat the spread of AIDS in Barbados
• Kirsta Perry, a 2011 graduate in teacher education will teach English in Laos
• Fiada Williams, a 2011 graduate of teacher education will teach English in Germany
• Marlee Seidman, a 2011 graduate in Marketing will have a business internship in Mexico
• Alex Urban, a 2011 graduate in history and Russian will teach English in Russia
• Alyssa Meyer, a 2011 graduate from James Madison College in international relations will do energy research in Kyrgyzstan
• Kirstie Sieloff, a 2012 graduate in urban planning will teach English in Germany
• Luke Bates, a 2012 graduate in linguistics and Japanese will teach English in South Korea
• Katherine Bonnen, a 2012 graduate in computer science will research at the Max Planck Institute in Germany
• Marissa Perry, a 2012 graduate from James Madison College in international relations will research post-holocaust trials in Germany
• Scott Osdras, a 2012 graduate from James Madison College in comparative cultures and politics will teach English in Taiwan
• Scott McIntosh, a 2012 graduate in criminal justice will teach English in Bahrain
• Christina McPike, a 2012 graduate in the Residential College of Arts and Humanities, German and Women’s Studies will teach English in Austria

The MSU Fulbright student alternates are:     

• Chelsea Champlin, a 2012 graduate from James Madison College in comparative cultures and linguistics would teach English in South Korea
• Kimberly Rovin, a doctoral student in Anthropology would do dissertation research in Malawi

For more information on the Fulbright office at MSU or program availability, visit the ISP Web site, or call Roger Bresnahan, coordinator of Fulbright programs, at 517-432-8244.