News & Recipients
USF earns distinction as Fulbright Top Producing Institution for U.S. Students
The University of South Florida’s boundless commitment to student success has been nationally recognized as USF has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for U.S. students in a ranking published by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Fulbright, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program,
is among the largest and most prestigious exchange programs in the world. Each year,
the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognizes
the U.S. colleges and universities that produce the highest number of selected Fulbright
U.S. Student Program applicants.
For the 2022-23 academic year, a total of 10 USF students were selected for Fulbright
awarded grants, including awardees from the College of Education; College of Engineering;
College of Arts and Sciences; College of Public Health; and Judy Genshaft Honors College.
“The University of South Florida is proud to have a record number of Fulbright U.S. Student Program recipients and to be named as one of Fulbright’s top producing institutions,” USF President Rhea Law said. “The students and alumni participating in the Fulbright Program are a testament to our university’s commitment to pursuing excellence on a global scale, and I congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.”
| Gabriela Cuevas | Uruguay |
| Yoel Gebrai | Ghana |
| Sarah Glaser | United Kingdom |
| Sarah Harder | Norway |
| Stephan Hassam | Italy |
| Margaret Maliwat | Spain |
| Kylie Pontious | South Korea |
| Sydni Schlosser | The Netherlands |
| Glenda Vaillant Cruz | Spain |
| Dove Wimbish | Ireland |
This is the first time USF has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for
student awards. USF’s 10 students selected for awards place the university among the
top 60 for all national doctoral institutions and ranks second among universities
in the state of Florida.
Expanding horizons
Awarding around only 2,000 grants per year, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program aims
to build lasting ties between the U.S. and other countries, as it operates in 160
countries across the globe.
“My Fulbright experience has been nothing short of amazing,” said Yoel Gebrai, a PhD
student in USF’s College of Engineering civil engineering graduate degree program.
Gebrai, the recipient of a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Research Grant, is currently
in Ghana, researching moringa oleifera, a widely cultivated multifunctional crop.
In Ghana, Gebrai is developing the framework for assessing moringa oleifera's social,
economic and environmental impacts in the country.
"I have been able to meet so many great people here in Ghana and learned so much about
the Ghanaian culture. Cross-cultural experiences like this lead to self-reflection
and serve to expand your worldview,” said Gebrai. “The memories, experiences, and
relationships that I’m forming here in Ghana will serve me well in both my personal
and professional life."
World-class educational experiences
Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 individuals from all backgrounds and
fields have participated in the Fulbright program – including recent university graduates,
teachers, scientists, researchers, artists, and others. New to their ranks is Sydni
Schlosser, a current Fulbright U.S. Student Program Study Grant awardee studying for
a master’s degree in the Netherlands:
“I applied for a Fulbright student grant in order to learn from another culture and
group of researchers about methods in health economics to further explore my interest
in health care markets,” said Sydni Schlosser, who completed her undergraduate education
at USF with degrees in economics and cellular and molecular biology.
“Pursuing my master’s degree and performing research has opened me up to a new academic
lifestyle and helped me to develop my interests in biotechnology and health care markets
and where I hope to fit into it in the future,” said Schlosser, adding: “I feel very
fortunate to have been learning from an institution that has developed so many different
instruments to measure well-being that are being used worldwide.”
Lasting impact
At USF, Fulbright applicants are guided by the Office of National Scholars (ONS).
Over the past decade, ONS has helped to produce over 70 Fulbright program recipients.
“Over the past 10 years, hundreds of USF students have become national scholarship
recipients,” said ONS Director, Sayandeb Basu. “The number of students receiving the
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship [focused on research], Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
[focused on study abroad], and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program has risen steadily.
Last year, 98 USF students received national scholarships and fellowships.”
Reflecting on the success of ONS and USF’s involvement in the Fulbright program, USF
Student Fulbright Program Advisor, Lauren Chambers, noted the true impact has yet
to come. “Fulbright alumni return home to make an impact on their communities thanks
to an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people,
and a larger network of colleagues and friends. We are thrilled to see the incredible
work of our students recognized with Fulbright Top Producing Institution status.”
Current USF students and alumni who are interested in learning more about the Fulbright
U.S. Student Program and applying, can contact Chambers at lschumac@usf.edu.