The recipients of Penn State Fulbright Award reflect experience abroad, share tips for prospective applicants | Penn State, State College News

The Fulbright program was founded to promote connections between Americans and people from other countries, and gave over 400,000 students and experts the opportunity to study, teach and research abroad.

Penn State produced the second most common faculty scientists in the nation and was appointed student Fulbright scholar in 2024-25.

Nitya Devireddy is one of the Fulbright students this year.

Devireddy, a medical student in the fourth year, was pleased to win the award and to explore diabetic retinopathy in Jamaica this year in Jamaica. By talking to medical specialists, she hopes to understand the obstacles to diabetic retinopathy screenings in Jamaica.

“I applied for a Fulbright in my final year of college and didn't understand it,” said Devireddy. “My advice would not be afraid to try again.”

Lindsay Walsh is currently studying in Jordan with the help of her Fulbright Award.

Walsh, a student in the fifth year who pursues a double title in comparative politics and women, gender and sexuality studies, said that the mentoring office for students and scholarships gave her a lot of support during the application processes.

For her dissertation, Walsh examines differences in the political ambition between men and women. She conducts survey research in the Center for Strategic Studies at the University of Jordan and interviewed candidates who ran for the country's elections in September 2024.

Walsh's advice for prospective Fulbright scholars is to “try to connect to Fulbright -Alumni or their professors or a mentor who is willing to read statements to help you read and write your application materials and give you feedback.”

Professor Katherine C. Pearson from Penn State Dickinson Law said she was introduced to the program by her colleague Laurel Terry. Terry, Professor and Emerita of Dickinson Law, has received three Fulbright Awards in the course of her career.

Pearson used her award 2024-25 for the research of pharmaceutical treatment programs for Alzheimer's and contributed to the provision of information about community resources for people with the illness.

“These research grants were wonderful for my career and for my ongoing research,” said Pearson.

Terry recommends emerging Fulbright scientists to apply for the entire academic year and read their proposal again several times before submitting it.

Associate Professor of History at Penn State Behrend Dr. Amy Carney is currently using her award for research in Austria. Her research revolves around the history of two Jewish families, one Austrian and the other German.

Carney recommends Fulbright Scholar aspirant to visit the Fulbright Resource Center on campus as soon as possible so that the employees can put together a good curriculum vitae.

“Start early,” said LeBrun. “It is a competitive award and you get many applicants and it takes time to make a good application.”

The main funding source for the program is an annual means of the US Congress for the US office for Education and Culture of the US State Department.

According to AP News, the Fulbright program financing of the US government is currently frozen. There were no updates on Tuesday if the financing was not frozen.

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