For the second consecutive year, a record number of UGA students-11-have been awarded scholarships from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Nine of the students accepted the scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year. Recipients of the U.S. Student Full Grants, which cover research and study opportunities, include spring graduates Jeremy Akin, Virginia Newman and Abigail Zylla plus doctoral students April Conway and Jennifer Olson.
Recipients of the English Teaching Assistantship Grants will serve as language-learning assistants in schools or universities abroad. Awardees include spring graduates Carlos Burse, Emily Gauld and Jessica Stewart plus fall 2009 graduate John Keith. In addition, spring graduate Lauren Fisher received a French Government Teaching Assistantship.
“The record number of grants awarded again this year is further evidence of our students’ academic accomplishments and commitment to solving the world’s most pressing problems,” said Maria de Rocher, campus adviser for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and program coordinator in UGA’s Honors Program. “The increasing number of undergraduates receiving the award and the variety of disciplines represented also speaks volumes about the quality of faculty support campus-wide for our students.”
Akin’s research in Uganda will center on compiling an index of conflict resolution best practices from local mediators that they can then use when addressing land dispute cases, especially illegal land seizure that is prevalent in the country.
Newman will study at Nanchang University in China, focusing on how provincial and local governments implement environmental policy, particularly reducing air pollution.
Zylla is investigating the ecological impact of Fiji’s community-based eco-tourism with her work taking her to the communities of Waitabu and Wayalailai.
Conway is studying the pygmy hippopotamus, an elusive endangered species found only in West Africa. Her research focuses on developing a conservation management plan to help protect the pygmy hippopotamus.
Olson is completing dissertation research on how three universities in Germany are making market-driven decisions when trying to attract top students from around the world.
