Three recent Brigham Young University graduates have been awarded a unique opportunity to expand their perspectives and shape their futures while living abroad. Braden Hintze, Jane Lundgren, and Joshua Webster-Ford, winners of Fulbright Scholarships, are prepared to share their light with people around the globe.
Students who applied to prestigious scholarships this fall gathered for the “You Hit Submit!” dinner on October 14, where they received recognition for all the time and effort invested in their applications.
Jane Drinkwater is an example of Brigham Young University’s aim to prepare students for “lifelong learning and service.” Drinkwater, winner of a Truman Scholarship, has a unique goal to increase accessibility of government programs by improving the interface of government websites.
From Tajikistan to Ecuador, Brigham Young University students have been making connections with individuals across the globe through Fulbright grants. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards funds to complete a graduate degree, conduct an independent research project, or teach English abroad. Through this scholarship, BYU students have a unique opportunity to “go forth and serve” aligning with the Fulbright mission to connect people and connect nations.
The chance to travel to a foreign country can be life-changing. This year, two recent Brigham Young University graduates were selected for such an opportunity by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Each embarked on a 10-month international excursion to expand their academic horizons and strengthen ties between the U.S. and other nations. Ben Stone, a bioinformatics graduate, is the recipient of a Fulbright Study/Research Award and is living in Estonia. John McHenry, who graduated in Middle East studies/Arabic, was chosen for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and is living in Tajikistan.
Juan Camargo, a Brigham Young University alum, is on a mission to build better businesses. From Bucaramanga, Colombia, Camargo was born to entrepreneur parents and has dedicated his career to improving business by supporting small-business entrepreneurs in Latin America. For his efforts, Camargo was recognized as a finalist for the Schwarzman Scholarship, a prestigious award for a fully-funded one-year master’s in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University.
Ten Brigham Young University students and alumni were chosen as semi-finalists for the 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. This prestigious scholarship offers recipients funding for a year of graduate study, research, or English teaching in one of over 140 countries, with the goal of promoting international goodwill.
Caitlin Silva, an April 2023 graduate of Brigham Young University, was selected as a finalist for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship at Stanford University. Each year, the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship grants funding for a select, multidisciplinary group of graduate students with the aim of preparing them to be visionary, collaborative, and courageous leaders who give attention to the world’s complicated challenges.
After considering hundreds of candidates, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. chose Andrew Bonney as one of 14 members for the 2023 James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program. Bonney is a recent graduate in Middle East studies/Arabic at Brigham Young University. Beginning in September, he will spend a year working in Washington, D.C. as a salaried research assistant to the Carnegie Endowment’s senior scholars.