The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange initiative, once again saw a strong representation from UofL.

Nine UofL students earned 2025 Fulbright Awards, securing opportunities for research and English teaching assistantships. Since 2001, UofL has been a Fulbright powerhouse, producing over 180 scholars (the most in Kentucky) and earning national recognition seven times.

Those receivingÌęÌęČč°ù±đ:

Research Grants:

• Laura Hanna ’25, College of Arts and Sciences, to Jordan.
• Oluwadamilola (Dammy) Jeboda ’25,ÌęCollege of Arts and Sciences, to Switzerland.
• Brady Smith ’25, College of Arts and Sciences, to Germany.
• Calian Zirilli ’25, College of Arts and Sciences, to Chile.

English Teaching Assistantships (ETA):

• Piper Coleman ‘25, College of Arts and Sciences, will teach in Taiwan.
• Anna Kelly ‘25, College of Arts and Sciences, will teach in Spain.
• Ryan Apperson ‘24, College of Arts and Sciences, will teach in Turkey.

Bryan Lopez ‘25 and Jasmine Procita ‘25, College of Arts of Sciences, who also received ETA Fulbrights, will be pursuing alternative endeavors.

Additionally, the , which offers immersive academic programs and cultural exploration in the United Kingdom, recognized Ace Farris,ÌęCollege of Arts and Sciences. Farris will participate in the “Modern Britain: Institutions, Power, & People” at King’s College London.

The Fulbright award often represents the culmination of years of dedicated effort for many UofL students. Jeboda, a recipient of the prestigious award, engaged in research throughout her undergraduate career at UofL. Her undergraduate research exploring Malawian public opinion on wastewater-based epidemiology with associate professor Rochelle Holm at Envirome Institute was .

Jeboda encourages students to explore and participate in undergraduate research.

“Pursue a topic that you would genuinely like to learn more about. One of the most exciting aspects of research is finding answers to your questions. And don’t shy away from interdisciplinary research,” Jeboda said.

Jeboda also credited the Honors Program as playing a significant role in her success.

“The Honors Program has been central to my career at UofL. Within it, I’ve learned a lot, found incredibly supportive mentors and been exposed to professional development opportunities,” Jeboda said. “It’s been a smaller community within the university, and made my experience feel more personal.”

Other prestigious scholars

Two students were awarded theÌęÌęfrom the U.S. Department of State. The CLS program provides opportunities for overseas language and cultural immersion in critical languages that are essential to the United States’ engagement with the world.

CLS recipients are:

• Tia Alchureiqi,ÌęCollege of Arts and Sciences, for Portuguese.
• Rehan Kahloon,ÌęCollege of Arts and Sciences, for Arabic.

Five students were awarded the a nationally competitive award for Pell Grant eligible students to study abroad.

• Amanda Estefany Cobian Batista,Ìęstudying in Spain for the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Isabella Sara Santos Bastien, studying in Brazil fall semester 2025.
• Zahraa Ahmed Hatem Abbas, studying in Italy summer 2025.
• Kadence Bradford, studying in Costa Rica summer 2025.
• Nalani Avalos, studying in South Korea summer 2025.

Railey Stonex ’25, College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded the , which supports graduate study in the United Kingdom for outstanding UofL College of Arts & Sciences graduates.

Tuesday Shaw, College of Arts and Sciences was awardedÌęthe to Moldova. The Boren Awards provide students in all fields of study with funding for immersive study abroad in languages and regions of interest to U.S. national security.

Gzeonie Hampton, College of Arts and Sciences, was named a recipient of the . This program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, prepares outstanding individuals for careers in the U.S. Foreign Service.

Henrietta Ransdell ’21, ’25, College of Arts and Sciences, was awarded the . This fellowship fosters mutual appreciation and cross-cultural understanding through immersive work experiences in Asia.

Alexandria Ipock-Groves,ÌęCollege of Arts and Sciences, was named a finalist for the created by the Obama Foundation and Brian Chesky. This scholarship supports young leaders with financial aid, travel experiences and mentorship.

Since 2003, UofL has produced 159 Fulbright scholars, more than all other Kentucky public institutions combined, and has been named a top producer of Fulbrights in the United States seven times.

“UofL student scholars continue to successfully position themselves through Fulbrights and other prestigious scholarships to become the next world leaders,” said Lori Gonzalez, interim UofL president. “These scholarship experiences are invaluable in an era of increasing global awareness and dependence. Our students are showing they can successfully compete on a scale that goes far beyond our city and Commonwealth and that they will affect positive change for generations to come.”

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers research, study and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students. Administered in the U.S. by the Department of State’s Bureau of łÉÈËֱȄal and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright program was established in 1946 to promote international goodwill through education and cultural exchange.

This year’s Fulbright winners represent the College of Arts & Sciences, the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, the College of Business and the School of Medicine. They are:

• Leen Abozaid: English Teaching Assistantship, JordanÌę
• Reese Bergschneider: English Teaching Assistantship, IndonesiaÌę
• Katya Kovatsenko: English Teaching Assistantship, BulgariaÌę
• Henrietta (Henny) Ransdell: English Teaching Assistantship, ThailandÌę
• Lauren Reuss: English Teaching Assistantship, ThailandÌę
• Jessica (Jesse) Sanders: English Teaching Assistantship, Thailand
• Farhiya Shaban: English Teaching Assistantship, BahrainÌę
• Emily Spicer: Research, Czech RepublicÌę
• Kathryn VanderEspt: Research, Slovenia

“I am thrilled to see so many outstanding Cardinals receiving national recognition for their accomplishments—and to know these young researchers, educators and advocates are just getting started,” said Bethany Smith of the National and International Scholarships office. “UofL has a lot to celebrate in our exceptional students, as well as the supportive, involved faculty and staff mentors who help make these successes possible.”Ìę

The university previously announced the following prestigious scholarships:

• Ben Anderson, who graduated from UofL in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, was awarded a 2022 .Ìę
• Cornelius Sanford, who graduated from UofL in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and pan-African studies, won a 2022 .
• University of Louisville senior Samuel Kessler has earned a .
• Three University of Louisville juniors conducting undergraduate research in breast cancer, galaxies and robotics won 2022 , marking the largest number of recipients from UofL in a single year.Ìę

For more information, visit .

For the 2020-2021 academic year, UofL was once again named a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Top Producing Institution. It marks UofL’s seventh year on the list.

UofL had a total of 13 Fulbright scholars for the 2020-2021 academic year. Since 2003, UofL has produced 148 Fulbrights, more than all other Kentucky public institutions combined.

The distinction from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of łÉÈËֱȄal and Cultural Affairs was published in the Feb. 15 online edition of The Chronicle of Higher łÉÈËֱȄ. A list of institutions can be found .

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program.

“Our students have a global world view that benefits all humankind,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “I commend our students, faculty and staff who work so hard every year to secure these opportunities.”

Started in 1946, the Fulbright Program marks its 75th anniversary this year.Ìę

“I remember the lack of knowledge, stigma and fear that came with the words HIV or AIDs,” she said.

Her experiences as a child in her native country inspired her to take action as an adult by studying public health and researching HIV and AIDS.

The doctoral student’s dedication to her field was rewarded this year as she was selected for a Fulbright-Fogarty Public Health Fellowship.

Bullock is one of 11 UofL students selected for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which offers research, study and teaching opportunities in more than 140 countries to recent graduates and graduate students.

“Being selected out of the thousands of applications is nothing but a blessing. It’s a humbling experience,” Bullock said. “I am very excited about this opportunity and looking forward to how it will unfold.”

While in Ghana, Bullock will have the opportunity to work with the Fulbright Program, Yale University, the University of Ghana and the NIH Fogarty International Center to do HIV research, which she calls a “dream come true.”

After leaving Ghana at age 14, Bullock grew up in Chicago, where she attended St. Gregory High School. She graduated with a bachelor of science in health education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and earned her master of public health degree from Michigan State University. Now she is entering her third year of pursuing her doctorate in health promotion and behavioral sciences from UofL’s School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS).

UofL’s extensive body of research and resources the SPHIS faculty have to offer is what drew Bullock to UofL for her PhD journey.

“My favorite thing about being a part of UofL is having a supportive cohort and academic department,” Bullock said. “UofL has provided me with knowledge and hands-on experience in the field and given me remarkable mentorship through my advisor Dr. Muriel Harris and my faculty mentor Dr. Jelani Kerr to support me and prepare me to undertake this work in Ghana.”

Bullock has visited Ghana since her childhood, including traveling back to the country for an undergraduate practicum project. There, she worked with a local health facility conducting sexual health education. “This made me realize that there were still a lot of unmet needs for this epidemic,” she said.

Bullock’s hard work won’t end when she graduates in the spring of 2022. She plans to continue her research and work to help communities affected by HIV.

“After I graduate, I hope to secure an appointment in academia or with a federal or global agency or institution where I can conduct global health research in HIV/AIDS,” Bullock said. “Being able to help communities affected by HIV worldwide and contribute to such an important cause is very rewarding.”

Apollo 11’s mission 50 years ago remains a defining moment in human history and kick started a robust pipeline of space exploration well beyond the moon. Many UofL Cardinals have been on the front lines of that exploration.

Louisville is just over 600 miles from NASA’s headquarters in Washington, DC, and 900 miles from Cape Canaveral, Florida, but the university is closely tied to numerous space-based research projects nonetheless. It of course helps that we have a Department of Physics and Astronomy filled with ambitious researchers like Benne Holwerda, who recently won time with the famous Hubble Space Telescope for research – a coveted award for those chasing the biggest questions posed by the universe.

Holwerda is using this opportunity to dive into three research projects that study the role of dust in the energy of two small galaxies.

His work is simply the tip of the iceberg of UofL’s space research. There’s also the work of Dr. Timothy Dowling, director of the atmospheric science program. Dowling, the only planetary scientist in Kentucky, has researched the length of a day on Saturn – a question that has stumped scientists for hundreds of years. Using data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft to measure waves in the atmosphere, Dowling and his team came up with 10 hours and 34 minutes. Another group of NASA researchers recently confirmed the accuracy of that timeframe.

“To have that confirmed is icing on the cake,” Dowling .

Dowling has also served as a researcher for the NASA Voyager II mission that photographed and mapped the surface of Uranus, and is the lead architect for theÌęÌęused by NASA and researchers around the world to model the weather on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Ìę

Currently, he is currently working on a new project involving Mars. As part of this research, Dowling received $2 million in (non-UofL-related) grants over 30 years to study planetary atmospheric dynamics. His latest research explores cubesats to monitor weather and forecasting on Mars to support the future boots-on-the-ground astronauts to the planet.

“The field of operational forecasting for Mars is just emerging, and will grow as we get closer to putting astronauts on the surface. This is all just in the early planning stages,” Dowling said.

Speaking of the forecast, Dowling’s colleague, , is working with Clemson atmospheric physics professor Jens Oberheide on a NASA-funded project to better predict the weather in space. The research is important, according to Du-Caines, to more clearly predict when storms or bad weather above the earth’s atmosphere might impact GPS, power grids, suborbital flights or satellites.

Gerry Williger, associate professor of physics and astronomy, has been on sabbatical for the past year conducting research at Konkoly Observatory in Budapest Hungary. His work is supported by a Fulbright Research Fellowship and examines the formation of stars in a distant galaxy.

Also, the University of Louisville joined a ground-based team for NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) program last year. The goal is to identify 50 Earth-like planets revolving around nearby stars.

The satellite will search about 85 percent of the sky for planets over two years. The images will be somewhat low-resolution and cover huge sections of sky, so there will be some blurring of stars.

“There will be millions of stars observed by TESS,” said Dr. John Kielkopf, professor of Physics and Astronomy. “It will be a matter of which ones have planets that we can detect.”

The ground-based partners include University of Southern Queensland in the Southern hemisphere, and in the Northern hemisphere, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and .

Students and alums shoot for the stars

Faculty aren’t the only Cardinals shooting for the stars. at UofL studying gravitational lensing around galaxies. She is working on a two-year grant from NASA Kentucky alongside two co-principle investigators at UofL – Kielkopf and Holwerda. She also has support from Dr. Lou Strolger, who works for the NASA-related agency called Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

“By observing the gravitational lensing phenomenon, we can make significant progress on the hunt for dark matter, and improve our understanding on the formation of galaxies like our own,” she said.ÌęÌę

, a double major in Physics and Atmospheric Science, landed an internship at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, last summer. There she worked with the TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) Student Collaboration analyzing and calibrating data for the TEMPO satellite.

Carrico has also been selected for the NASA Pathways program through NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. This will allow her to complete three internship rotations with the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, with the possibility of transitioning directly to employment with NASA upon graduation. Her internships will take her into different areas of the work taking place at the Center, increasing the breadth of her training.Ìę

“The Pathways spot still feels very surreal to me. It is something that I have worked very hard for and I am really excited for the opportunity,” said Carrico. “I was always interested in NASA and saw it as a place where there was no limit to what I could do or explore. After my first year at UofL, I started to research NASA internships more because it seemed like a great way for me to gain valuable experience and explore new areas of my studies.”

UofL’s proximity to space extends beyond NASA’s public sector work and into Elon Musk’s much-publicized SpaceX private sector work. Last year, alum Austin Marshall, 12S, 13GS, was part of the SpaceX team that launched Falcon Heavy — and Musk’s Tesla — into space.

Marshall, who graduated from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering with an industrial engineering degree, is the mate­rial flow planner for SpaceX. His job is essentially logistics, making sure all the parts and pieces needed to build the rockets are right where they should be, when they should be there.

“Right now building a rocket takes a long time,” Marshall said. “SpaceX wants to make it a really quick process, like an assembly line. 
 Our number one goal for the year is to put people in space.”

UofL’s space odysseys are certainly nothing new. The “To boldly go 
” cover of UofL Magazine in the summer of 2004 highlighted UofL’s space work, noting that UofL scientists have been working with NASA for decades. That was the same year Kentucky and NASA established a partnership to develop new technologies to help bolster the moon/Mars initiative.

Celebrating Apollo 11

We’d be remiss with all this space talk if we didn’t mention the christened on the northwest corner of the Belknap campus in 2001. The original Rauch Memorial Planetarium opened in 1962 and served the community for 36 years until it was razed in 1998.

The Gheens Science Hall & Rauch Planetarium will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing with free screenings of “Apollo 11” July 20. The documentary will be shown at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. No reservations are needed.

The university has had outstanding results as a producer of Fulbrights. Since 2003, there have been 133 Fulbrights, more than all other Kentucky public institutions combined.

Students and recent alumni also earned many other competitive awards this year. There were five Critical Language Scholars, two Goldwater Scholars and one Rotary International award winner. Five students received Boren Award offers, but three had to decline this scholarship because they won two or more awards.

One such scholar, of Louisville, may be the most-awarded student in university history. The Brown Fellow, Ali Scholar and Porter Scholar awardee won, this year, a Fulbright, Boren and Critical Language scholarship. The recent graduate and political science major decided to accept the Fulbright. He will spend the summer in Taiwan as an English teacher.

“When I heard that we had so many winners of prominent awards—including a dozen Fulbrights—I marveled at how we are able to achieve such high honors year after year,” said President Neeli Bendapudi. “We have an astounding track record as a producer of top scholars and I’m so proud of our incredible students, faculty and staff because they all work together to make this possible.”

Charlie Leonard, interim director of the Office of National and International Scholarship Opportunities, said the university’s culture has become attuned to seeking out academic superstars who are candidates for prominent awards.

“It’s a system that has been in place here for years with lots of buy-in from faculty and staff who recommend students and are eager to help them in the interview and writing workshop process,” said Leonard. “Plus, we have extraordinarily strong support from upper administration.”

He said it is noteworthy that five of this year’s awardees earned research-focused Fulbright awards.

“This has been a good year for our Fulbrights who plan to conduct research,” he said. “I think that may be a result of our efforts to promote undergraduate research at UofL and we hope that trend continues.”

Fellowships coordinator Bethany Smith, who works closely with student and alumni scholarship candidates during and after the application process, said about 30% of UofL students who applied for the 2019 Fulbright received the award—a statistic that has been fairly typical for the past few years.

“That’s an impressive statistic,” said Smith. “Few institutions can claim such good results and it is indicative of our success in identifying and mentoring potential awardees.”

To see a full list, including biographies and photos, of UofL’s 2019 Fulbrights,Ìę

As a Rangel scholar, she will work toward a master’s degree and complete a congressional internship at The Hill, followed by a placement abroad with a U.S. Embassy.Ìę

Her international pursuit began while she was at UofL, where she majored in French and Political Science and minored in Middle Eastern Islamic Studies.ÌęAfter graduating in May 2015, Bartholomew was selected as a Fulbright Scholar.Ìę

It was during a chance encounter at a Washington, D.C., event that Bartholomew was encouraged to pursue the next chapter of her journey: the Rangel Fellowship. The prestigious program is competitive and currently represents the United States in 60 countries around the world.Ìę

“This is something I’ve always thought about. I’m excited, but nervous,” Bartholomew said. “I’m just the kind of person that gives it my all in everything I do. I just want toÌębe an example for my community – thatÌęyou can pursue yourÌę dreams and it is possible to achieve them.”

Read more about Bartholomew and her upcoming adventure at .Ìę

Those are just a few of things , and have in common.

But the similarities don’t end there: the three are also winners of the prestigious Fulbright Award and are spending their summers teaching English in Asian countries.

Bush, Hilbrecht and Gassman met during their first year at UofL. As , they spent a lot of time together as they traveled the world, became roommates and studied.

Hilbrecht’s mother, Sharron Hilbrecht, said the college pals “were beyond thrilled” when they found all three would be Fulbrights.

“One by one, they heard from their respective countries that they’d been accepted, with each friend celebrating his own victory and keeping his fingers crossed for the others,” she said. “We were all blown away that three friends and roommates were all chosen for the Fulbright program since it’s so hard to get into,”

The threesome graduated in May 2018 from the College of Arts and Sciences. Bush and Gassman have degrees in history, political science and Asian studies. Hilbrecht earned a degree in political science.

Bush, who is spending his Fulbright in Macau, said UofL mentors were a big help in applying for the award.

“I am proud to have attended a school that offers such a fantastic support network for graduating seniors,” Bush said.

UofL had in 2018, a number that underscores the university’s impressive record as a producer of prestigious scholarships.

Those are just a few of things , and have in common.

But the similarities don’t end there: the three are also winners of the prestigious Fulbright Award and are spending their summers teaching English in Asian countries.

Bush, Hilbrecht and Gassman met during their first year at UofL. As , they spent a lot of time together as they traveled the world, became roommates and studied.

Hilbrecht’s mother, Sharron Hilbrecht, said the college pals “were beyond thrilled” when they found all three would be Fulbrights.

“One by one, they heard from their respective countries that they’d been accepted, with each friend celebrating his own victory and keeping his fingers crossed for the others,” she said. “We were all blown away that three friends and roommates were all chosen for the Fulbright program since it’s so hard to get into,”

The threesome graduated in May 2018 from the College of Arts and Sciences. Bush and Gassman have degrees in history, political science and Asian studies. Hilbrecht earned a degree in political science.

Bush, who is spending his Fulbright in Macau, said UofL mentors were a big help in applying for the award.

“I am proud to have attended a school that offers such a fantastic support network for graduating seniors,” Bush said.

UofL had in 2018, a number that underscores the university’s impressive record as a producer of prestigious scholarships.

In 2018 he hit pay dirt: the recent political science graduate to study the Turkish language at Azerbaijan University of Languages in Baku, Azerbaijan.

So he packed his bags, said his goodbyes, and headed off.

But then, a funny thing happened at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C.

While waiting for his flight and browsing email, Brown learned that he had also won the prestigious student . The email informed him he could begin his Fulbright as an English teacher in Ankara, Turkey, during the fall semester.

“I honestly didn’t know what to do. I was speechless,” said Brown, who learned months ago that he was an “alternate” for the award.

“I had already given up on Fulbright and had enrolled in another Turkish language program in Baku for the fall semester,” Brown said. “Winning this Fulbright has reassured me of the value of my study and validated almost two years of hard work. Doing the CLS in Turkish followed by a full year in Ankara, Turkey, really feels like a dream come true.”

Brown’s Fulbright makes him the 11^th UofL scholar to earn the prize in 2018 and underscores the university’s in competitions for prominent student scholarships.

“Winning both awards is even better,” said Bethany Smith,Ìęof UofL’s Office of National and International Scholarship Opportunities.

The CLS takes place during theÌęsummer and the Fulbright starts in the fall. So, he will be able to do both and stay abroad for a whole year.

“Devin worked incredibly hardÌęon his Fulbright application, knowing it was very risky as there haven’t been ETAÌęwinners to Turkey in recent years,” Smith said. “We’re so pleased this worked out for him.”