For a third consecutive year, Elon University has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for 2016-17 after four recent graduates were awarded the prestigious international fellowship to research or teach English overseas.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced on Feb. 21, 2017, its list of American schools that last year produced the highest number of Fulbright students. Top-producing institutions were highlighted the same day in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Elon tied for ninth on the list of American master’s-level institutions whose graduates last year received Fulbright awards. The Fulbright competition is administered at Elon through the National and International Fellowships Office, directed by Professor Janet Myers and Sarah Lentz, who serves as associate director.

Four recent Elon graduates received Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grants: Erin Luther ’16 (Argentina), Morgan Goldstein ’16 (Spain) and Jenna Mason ’16 (Thailand), pictured below, and Katherine Shafer ’15 (Taiwan), pictured above.

Recent Elon graduates Erin Luther '16, Morgan Goldstein '16 and Jenna Mason '16 received Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grants.

“Our current Elon Fulbrighters are making an impact on the lives of young people by teaching English in various parts of the world, including Argentina, Thailand, Spain and Taiwan, while a new group of Fulbright semifinalists awaits the results of their applications to go abroad next fall,” Myers said. “You can follow the progress of our current Fulbrighters through their blogs, and we hope that their experiences will inspire outstanding Elon students and alumni to pursue Fulbright U.S. Student grants in the future.”

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 370,000 participants — chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. More than 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 140 countries throughout the world.

The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program on behalf of the Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.

The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach foreign languages.

To learn more about Fulbright U.S. Student Grants and other nationally competitive awards, visit the National and International Fellowships website.