The Fulbright has long been a competitive yet coveted award among students and professors alike. It's an especially rewarding academic award that supports learning, teaching, research and global engagement.
At the University of Houston, an increasing number of Coogs are taking their talents abroad through Fulbright Scholarships. Last year, a record 14 UH students emerged with Fulbright honors. This success has not gone unnoticed, and the University is again recognized as a Top Producer of Fulbrights for the 2024 – 2025 academic year.
"These results are particularly impressive considering what many of the recipients had to go through in their college careers," said Ben Rayder, executive director of UH's Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards (OURMA). "Many of them started their education during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. They made the most of their time at UH and now they are having incredible adventures abroad. Their stories of resilience are inspiring and something that the entire UH community can be proud of."
Among the students who have ventured internationally with Fulbright support is recent graduate Kayla Alexander. A member of UH's Honors College, she earned bachelor's degrees in English and Spanish from UH. After earning her Fulbright, she traveled to Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain and is serving as an English teaching assistant at a secondary school.
"My year abroad with Fulbright has given me some incredible opportunities to further explore my academic interests," she said. "I studied Applied Linguistics as an undergraduate, and during my time in Spain, I've learned some of the Galician language and joined fascinating conversations about its history and current role in Spanish society. Overall, I truly believe that the Fulbright experience enhanced everything I learned at the University of Houston and made me a better student and educator."
More than 1,000 miles away, another UH Fulbrighter Leonard Wang is presently in Glasgow, Scotland. Wang, a UH Honors biomedical sciences graduate, is earning a Master of Science in health and Social Policy from the University of Strathclyde.
"Fulbright has offered an incredible opportunity to engage with health and social care systems in an international context," he said. "While in Glasgow, I've taken courses that have shaped how I'll provide care and advocate for patients in the future. My time abroad through the Fulbright Program has offered valuable professional and personal experiences to support my future career as a physician working at the intersection of clinical practice, policy, and healthcare leadership to alleviate health inequities and provide compassionate care to the underserved."
Wang , Alexander and other Cougar Fulbright recipients received guidance from OURMA in preparing their Fulbright applications. Likewise, UH's Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) also supports students and faculty who travel internationally for academic enrichment.
Created in 1946 by the U.S. Congress, the Fulbright is the world's largest international academic exchange program. It both bolsters the educational experiences of students and builds relationships among students and faculty around the world.
"UH is so honored once again to see our university wide Fulbright culture recognized in this way," said Amb. Michael Pelletier (Retd.), IGE's executive director. "The Fulbright has for decades been the flagship program supporting academic engagement across the world, and its benefits reach throughout UH, and across the US and the globe."
