After another record number of applications, UB has placed 11 students in the semifinals of the Fulbright scholarship competition.

The 11 students — six graduate students, three undergraduates and two alumni — were selected by the national screening committees for their prospective host nations. Awards will be announced in April and May. Twenty-nine UB students applied for the Fulbright scholarships this year, up from 23 in 2018.

“The Fulbright is an excellent opportunity for our UB students to participate in cultural exchange across the world,” says Megan Stewart, assistant director, in UB’s Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. We are proud of all of our students who apply and encourage more students to think about applying in the future.”

The 11 semifinalists, their majors, they type of award they applied for and the countries they hope to visit:

• Avye Alexandres, art, study/research grant, Greece.
• Addison Arnold, history and psychology, English teaching assistantship, Malaysia.
• Caitlyn Coffey, political science and psychology, English teaching assistantship, Cyprus.
• Nicholas Emmanuel, history and theory of music, study/research grant, Hungary.
• Nicholas Hess, French education, English teaching assistantship, Belgium.
• Megan Hirner, comparative literature, English teaching assistantship, Luxembourg.
• Lilian Macancela, legal studies and Italian, English teaching assistantship, Italy.
• Paul Rellstab, Latin American history, study/research grant, Peru.
• Caitlyn Sears, geography, study/research grant, Malaysia.
• David Tallents, math economics and political science, English teaching assistantship, Rwanda.
• Denis Tuttle, occupational therapy, study/research grant, Thailand.

Sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Fulbright Scholarships are awarded to nearly 8,000 students and scholars each year and are considered to be one of the most prestigious academic awards in the world. The scholarship covers airfare to the country one is studying in and includes a stipend to cover housing expenses. It was proposed by Sen. J. William Fulbright in 1945 as a way to promote peace and friendship among all the nations of the world.

The 11 Fulbright semifinalists mark another step toward the university’s goal of making UB a top producing university for Fulbright scholars and other internationally renowned fellowships and scholarships, according to officials in UB’s Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. Organizers there stress these prestigious international academic awards can elevate students’ academic awards into a national and international scope.

The current application cycle to fund travel in the 2021-22 academic year is now open. Those interested should contact Patrick McDevitt, Fulbright faculty adviser, or Stewart for application information.