For the seventeenth consecutive year, Occidental College is one of the country’s top producers of student Fulbright Awards, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual Fulbright rankings.
Seven Occidental seniors and alumni won 2021-22 Fulbrights to work and study in seven countries on three continents. (An eighth declined her Fulbright to pursue a doctorate in the U.S.) The seven are among 129 Occidental students and alumni who have won Fulbrights since 2003.
Almost 600 U.S. higher-education institutions actively participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright program, which covers travel, education and living expenses in more than 155 countries worldwide.
Preliminary numbers for this year are promising, with 15 students and alumni being named as semi-finalists, says Jennifer Locke, director of national and international fellowships.
Selection is a two-phase process. All applicants must pass through the U.S.-based Fulbright National Screening Committee. Those selected as semi-finalists are then forwarded to the individual country commissions for the final round of selections. Final decisions are made on a country-by-country basis from March to May.
Recipients are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields.
Occidental’s 2022-23 student Fulbright semi-finalists are:
- Amirah Al-Sagr ’22, a diplomacy and world affairs and comparative studies in literature and culture double major from Maryland Heights, Mo.—teaching, Palestinian Territories
- Jenna Beales ’22, a critical theory and social justice major from Novato—study award, UK
- Mary Craggs '21, a history and Spanish studies double major from Everett, Wash.--teaching, Mexico
- Ethan Ferrall ’22, a group language and cognitive science double major from Arroyo Grande—teaching, Mexico
- Diana Flores Barnett '21, a biochemistry major from North Hills—research, Spain
- Liz Frissell ’22, a philosophy and cognitive science double major from Concord Twp., Ohio--study award, UK
- Julia Hansen ’22, an urban and environmental policy major from Falmouth, Me.--research, Sweden
- Kayla Heinze ’22, a philosophy major from Minneapolis—teaching, Greenland
- Kendall Kitahara ’22, a sociology major from Brentwood, Tenn.—teaching, Czech Republic
- Angelina Lee ’22, a media arts and culture major from Los Angeles—arts grant, France
- Marielle Lyons ’21, a sociology and Spanish studies double major from San Rafael—teaching, Spain
- Ashley Nakagawa ’21, a biochemistry major from Honolulu—research, Philippines
- Kian Shamskhou ’22, a biochemistry major from Los Gatos—research, Austria
- Zoe Spearman ’21, a biology major from Exeter, N.H.—research, Australia
- Noah Yee Yick ’22, a diplomacy and world affairs and group language double major from Saint Paul, Minn.—teaching, Costa Rica
