ATLANTA—Three Georgia State University students have been selected for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and two have been named alternates. Fulbright grants provide funding support for recent college graduates and current graduate students to live abroad while teaching English, conducting independent research, or studying at the graduate level.
Daria Dozier will work as an English teaching assistant in Colombia. A recent graduate of Georgia State, Dozier obtained dual degrees in Theatre Performance (B.I.S.) and Spanish (B.A.). She is interested in researching utopian and dystopian political philosophy in Black speculative fiction. She also spends time volunteering with youth through the Latin American Association and serves as operations lead for The Co-Op ATL.
Kristin Hemingway, a Ph.D. student in Instructional Design and Technology, will teach English in Rwanda. “I fell in love with Rwanda when I visited in 2019 for the first time, and I vowed to return in some capacity in the future to continue to learn and grow from the Rwandan citizens,” said Hemingway. “I am so very excited to finally be able to do so as a Fulbright Fellow English teaching assistant and to continue to leverage my talent and experience to serve the people of Rwanda.”
Emily Wilson will be an English teaching assistant in Spain. “Even though the application process was lengthy, I never felt overwhelmed because I got incredible support from Dr. Jacob English as well as the staff at the Study Abroad Office,” Wilson said. “I’m excited to start the program where I hope to not only strengthen my own Spanish-language knowledge but also help the students in Madrid strengthen their English. I can already tell that being abroad will help me gain new perspectives, take on new challenges and, overall, gain a better understanding of the world.”
Alternates may become Fulbright recipients should more funding become available or should other finalists turn down the award. Two Georgia State students were selected as semifinalists.
Dylan Fisher, a Ph.D. student in Creative Writing in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a semifinalist for a research grant in the Netherlands to conduct dissertational research for a novel based on his politically active grandparents in post-World War II Amsterdam.
Yasmina Dagher is a semifinalist to become an English teaching assistant in Belgium.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The program operates in more than 140 countries. To be competitive for the grants, candidates must demonstrate high intellectual ability, leadership in their respective fields and be willing to serve as ambassadors during this cultural exchange. Fulbright scholars receive round-trip transportation to the host country, funding to cover room, board and incidental costs based on the cost of living in that country, as well as additional benefits determined by the country.
“Our scholars never cease to amaze me,” said Katrina Helz, graduate fellowships adviser. “The past few years have been difficult ones, but our students are as tenacious as they come.”
“I continue to be impressed with our students,” said Jacob English, director of the Honors College’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “It’s a privilege to be able to support students through the application process and strengthen them as scholars and change agents. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”
The Fulbright committees are made up of Georgia State faculty and staff who review the applications and conduct interviews, offering detailed feedback to each applicant. This year’s Undergraduate Student Committee members were Katrina Lauren Helz, Diana Christine Wrenn Rapp, Nannette Evans Commander, Cyntoria Johnson, Kike Ehigiator and Joshua Hudson. The Graduate Student Committee members were Jacob English, Maria Gindhart, Louise Gobron, Jessie McCrary, Maria Repnikova and Renee Schatteman.
Applications for the U.S. Student Program are due in October, and applicants draft their applications over the summer with the help of their Fulbright adviser. Interested students are encouraged to reach out to the relevant contact for more information and support with their application. Undergraduate students and recent graduates may contact English at jacobenglish@gsu.edu. Graduate students and alumni of graduate programs may contact Helz in The Graduate School at khelz@gsu.edu.
Pictured from left: Daria Dozier, Dylan Fisher, Kristin Hemingway, and Emily Wilson