WUSTL named a top producer of U.S. Fulbright students

University one of 42 institutions highlighted nationwide

Washington University in St. Louis recently was named one of the top producers of U.S. Fulbright students, based on outcomes of the 2011-12 competition.

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, recently announced the complete list of top-producing colleges and universities. The success of the 42 top-producing institutions is highlighted in the Oct. 24 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Eleven out of 47 WUSTL applicants received Fulbright scholarships, a 23.4 percent yield. While other research institutions received more grants than WUSTL, there are few that had better outcomes with similar numbers of applicants.

“This honor speaks to the strength and talent of our students as well as the commitment of our WUSTL Fulbright Campus Committee to provide constructive support to our applicants,” says Amy C. Suelzer, PhD, Fulbright Program adviser and assistant director of International and Area Studies in Arts & Sciences. “This support enables the applications that come through the Washington University campus evaluation process to perform well in the national competition.”

Of the 11 WUSTL Fulbright scholarship recipients, seven are recently graduated Arts & Sciences seniors, three are Arts & Sciences graduate students and one is an architecture graduate student in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. The WUSTL Fulbright recipients are positioned around the globe – in Belarus, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Turkey and Uruguay. They will spend a full academic year abroad.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

“As Washington University pursues its goals of advancing global engagement, the Fulbright program has been an important and early indicator of success in this area,” says Priscilla Stone, PhD, assistant provost for international education and director of overseas programs in Arts & Sciences. “We are continually impressed by the quality and preparation of our students to qualify for these prestigious awards.”

Nationwide, nearly 1,700 students, artists and young professionals in 100-plus fields of study were offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English and conduct research in more than 140 countries beginning this fall. Students receiving awards for this academic year applied through 600 colleges or universities. Lists of Fulbright recipients are available at fulbrightonline.org/us.

The primary source of funding for the program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit fulbright.state.gov.