Grand Valley a top producer of student, faculty Fulbrights

Grand Valley is the top producer of both students and faculty members earning Fulbright U.S. Student and Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards in the region, according to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Four students from Grand Valley received Fulbright awards for the 2017-18 academic year, which is more than any other master's institution in the Midwest. All four students receiving the awards will serve as English Teaching Assistants in their respective countries.

The students awarded Fulbrights include:

Shukri Bana, '17, women, gender, and sexuality studies, to South Africa

Sarah Cullip, '17 (Honors College), German/English and applied linguistics, to Germany

Katie Gipe, '17 (Honors College), education, to Spain

Erika Schmitt, '13, psychology and applied linguistics and now a candidate for a master's degree in school psychology, to Brazil

Grand Valley also had the university's first Fulbright Mentor selected: David Gonzalez, '16, Spanish and international relations, to Brazil. Fulbright Mentors are second-year grantees.

Students interested in applying for a Fulbright U.S. Student award, contact the Grand Valley Office of Fellowships or visit gvsu.edu/fellowships.

Faculty members selected for the outbound Fulbright Core Scholars program include:

Lisa Feurzeig, professor of music, Austria

Brian Phillips, professor of sociology, Poland 

Jitendra Mishra, professor of management, India

Grand Valley's three faculty Fulbright scholars are the second most in the nation for master's institutions and the highest in the Midwest.

The Padnos International Center will host a workshop for faculty members interested in earning Fulbright awards. The event is Friday, February 23, from 1:30-3 p.m. in the DeVos Center, University Club room; a wine and cheese reception with past Fulbright awardees will run from 3-4:15 p.m.

About the Fulbright U.S. Scholar program for faculty:

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 participants - chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential - with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. More than 1,100 U.S. college and university faculty and administrators, professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers and independent scholars are awarded Fulbright grants to teach and/or conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program operates in more than 125 countries throughout the world.

About the Fulbright U.S. Student program:

More than 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English, and conduct research abroad each year. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State, funded by an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education.