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Purdue Students Enjoy Fulbright Experience

Recently named a Fulbright Top Producer, Purdue University is home to students enjoying experiences through cultural exchange provided by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in a variety of ways this year. Several Purdue students and recent alumni received grant offers for 2022-23 to study and teach in countries including Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides funding for 8-12 months for individuals to study, research, or teach abroad while promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding. Eligible applicants include undergraduates entering their senior year, alumni who earned a bachelor's or master's degree from Purdue as their most recent degree, and current Purdue graduate students who will not have completed a Ph.D. prior to the beginning of their grant year.

This year’s Fulbright grantees include Leah Criss, Diana Dinh, Caroline Fish, Abbey Hall, Madaleine Henderson, Laura Jessup, Cade Kane, Katherine Kerr, and Jessica Rohr.

Selected as a Fulbright Top Producer, Purdue University students apply for the highly prestigious grants through the National and International Scholarships Office, which is housed in the John Martinson Honors College. 

Students interested in applying for a Fulbright grant for 2024-25 or in a future year can attend one of Purdue’s Fulbright Week information sessions during the week of February 20-24, 2023. The sessions are hosted by the National and International Scholarship Office; a daily schedule of events and information about Fulbright grants is available at the Purdue Fulbright Week Website.


About our 2021-22 grantees:


Criss,-Leah.jpgLeah Criss
Fulbright Grant: Taiwan English Teaching Assistant

Criss, from West Lafayette, IN is a Fall 2021 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts and the John Martinson Honors College. Criss majored in English and Linguistics while minoring in German and Asian American Studies. While an undergrad at Purdue, Criss was a tutor at the Purdue University Writing Lab and an employee of the West Lafayette Public Library. Criss’ future plans include pursuing a career teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Faculty Recommenders:
Mr. Mitchell Hobza, Purdue Writing Lab
Dr. Elizabeth Brite, John Martinson Honors College


Dinh,-Diana.jpgDiane Dinh
Fulbright Grant: France Open Study / Research Award

Dinh is from Beavercreek, Ohio. She is a May 2022 graduate of the College of Pharmacy. While at Purdue, Dinh participated in AACR Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition, the Vietnamese Student Association, and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association. Dinh was also awarded the Trustees Scholarship while at Purdue. Her Fulbright research involves investigating the effects of the gut microbiome on immune function in France in preparation for a transition to a Ph.D. program.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Sandro Matosevic, Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy
Dr. Thomas Walter, Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Laura Conforti, Department of Internal Medicine


Caroline Fish   [photo not available]
Fulbright Grant: Spain Open Study / Research Award

From Tuscon, Arizona, Fish is a graduate student in the Purdue University Graduate School working toward a PhD in history. Fish’s research examines the roles of the wives of Spanish ambassadors serving at the royal courts in London, Paris, and Vienna throughout the seventeenth century as components of international politics. Fish plans to defend her dissertation by the spring of 2025 and seek a teaching position at a four-year university, specializing in early modern women. Previously, Fish studied at the University of Cambridge where she completed a master’s degree in Early Modern History.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Silvia Mitchell, Department of History
Dr. Jennifer Foray, Department of History
Dr. Wendy Kline, Department of History

 

Hall,-Abbey.jpg

Abbey Hall
Fulbright Grant: Spain English Teaching Assistant

Hall is a spring 2022 graduate of Purdue with a Bachelor of Science in Management from the and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the College of Liberal Arts. Hall spent some time volunteering as the lead of a civics class in Chicago for a non-profit where she prepared non-English speaking students for their citizenship interview. Hall plans to facilitate a connection to English language and culture within her students and support their exploration of language learning.

Faculty Recommenders:
Mrs. Leslie Charters, Student Legal Services
Dr. Paul Dixon, Spanish Department

 

Henderson,-Madeleine-headshot.jpgMadeleine Henderson
Fulbright Grant:
United Kingdom, University of Exeter Award

Henderson is a spring 2020 graduate of Purdue hailing from Trenton, Illinois. Henderson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering while minoring in electrical engineering and Spanish. After spending time studying global sustainability solutions in the United Kingdom, Henderson plans to pursue a position in a healthcare field to connect providers with more sustainable medical device options. Henderson participated in the equestrian team while at Purdue as well as performing in the Purdue Concert Bands.

 Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Eric Nauman, School of Mechanical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Basic Medical Sciences
Mr. John Gablenz, Electrical Systems Design, Medtronic PLC
Dr. Lindsey Payne, Office of Engagement, Environmental & Ecological Engineering Purdue University

 

Jessup,-Laura.pngLaura Jessup
Fulbright Grant: Tanzania Open Study / Research Award

Jessup is from Dewitt, Michigan and a current Ph.D. student In the Purdue University Graduate School with an emphasis on Forestry and Natural Resources. Jessup is currently a peer mentor, a member of the West Lafayette chapter of the 500 Women Scientists, and co-director of programming for the Monarch Watch Citizen Science Garden. Upon completion of her Fulbright grant, Jessup plans to complete her Ph.D. including the development of a website created in both Swahili and English about tropical dry forest research, conservation, and restoration stemming from her in country Fulbright research.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Jeff Dukes, Forestry and Natural Resources
Dr. Gord McNickle, Botany and Plant Pathology
Dr. Andrew Marshall, University of the Sunchine Coast

 

Kane,-Cade.jpgCade Kane
Fulbright Grant: Australia Open Study / Research Award

Kane is a native of West Lafayette, IN currently working on a Ph.D. in the Purdue University Graduate School with an emphasis on Botany and Plant Pathology. Awarded outstanding student in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology in 2016, 2017, and 2018, Kane has found success around a love of nature. Future plans for Kane include finishing a Ph.D. program, working abroad, and eventually landing in a faculty position doing botanical research and mentoring young students.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Scott McAdam, Botany and Plant Pathology
Mrs. Catharine Aime, Botany and Plant Pathology
Mr. Christopher Staiger, Botany and Plant Pathology

 

Kerr,-Kat.jpgKatherine Kerr
Fulbright Grant: Germany Open Study / Research Award

Kerr completed a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering upon completion of her Fulbright grant. Kerr was a recipient of the Women in Engineering Scholarship in 2020 and 2021 and participated in the Timmy Global Health donation collection for medical brigade trips. A lifelong runner, Kerr also plans to continue her passion for running and staying active as well as volunteering with the German Heart Foundation. Kerr’s career goals are to become a scientist in either industry or academia.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. Craig Goergen, Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Elizabeth Holloway, Engineering
Dr. Paul Jammey, Univeristy of Pennsylvania

Rohr,-Jessica.jpgJessica Rohr
Fulbright Grant: Swiss Government Open Study / Research Award

Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Languages and Cultures at the Purdue University Graduate School, Rohr seeks to identify what motivates speakers to maintain two dialects and how these speakers negotiate their bidialectal identity in everyday conversation. Having lived in Switzerland and experienced differing dialects, Rohr hopes to contribute to diminishing language discrimination through her continued research. It is her goal to be a professor at an academic institution upon completion of a Ph.D. program.

Faculty Recommenders:
Dr. John Sundquist, SIS (Linguistics) SLC (German)
Dr. Alejandro Cuza, Linguistics
Dr. Daniel Olson, SLC (Spanish), SIS (Linguistics)

 

Writer: Leslie Valiant lvaliant@purdue.edu

For more information about applying for a Fulbright grant: Fulbright U.S. Student Program