蘑菇Av鈥檚 dedication to global engagement continues with seven members of its community accepting Fulbright grants for the 2025-26 academic year. The recipients 鈥� Anna Cappella, Alice Crafford, Ava Folloni, Lily Hazam, Geoffrey McGovern, Christine Menand and Rachel Wilson 鈥� will soon embark on international journeys to teach, study or conduct research around the world.聽
鈥淔ulbright is one of my favorite government programs grounded in the idea that the community of nations works best and is at peace when people spend time together, learn from each other, and exchange their ideas and perspectives,鈥� said McGovern, a senior lecturer in the聽Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology聽(CMIST) and a political and social scientist at the RAND Corporation.
McGovern will be based in Adelaide, Australia, exploring issues related to democracy and emerging technologies in a distinguished chair position at Flinders University. This will be his second Fulbright experience; while in graduate school, he spent a year in Finland studying various aspects of the Finnish legal system.
McGovern warmly recalled the time his family welcomed an international student into their home during his childhood.
鈥淚t left an indelible mark on my views with regard to showing hospitality to international visitors and expanding my own global horizon,鈥� he said.聽
When Hazam applied to the Fulbright Program, she was searching for opportunities abroad that combined her love for education with the chance to experience a new culture. Now equipped with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in decision science, she鈥檚 set to teach English in a K-12 classroom in South Korea.
鈥淚鈥檝e never been to South Korea, but my best friend has family there and she is always raving about it,鈥� said Hazam, whose long-term plan is to earn a doctor of education degree. 鈥淓ducation is one of the most important things for our future. I want to learn more about educational policy and about improving access to quality education. This is my opportunity to explore, experience and step outside my comfort zone.鈥�
Crafford graduated with a major in physics and minors in mathematical sciences and French & Francophone studies. She will use her Fulbright to pursue a master's degree at the Universit茅 Paris-Saclay and conduct research at the Institut de Physique Th茅orique in France.
"I鈥檝e always wanted to explore French culture but didn鈥檛 really see how I could combine my interests in both physics and French into something that would work toward furthering my career. A Fulbright for higher education abroad seemed like the perfect opportunity, so I figured I had nothing to lose in applying," Crafford said.
Folloni is headed to Rwanda, where she鈥檒l evaluate the long-term effects of water supply systems implemented by organizations like Engineers Without Borders. Folloni, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in聽聽with an additional major in聽, plans to join a local choir there as a way to connect with the community despite language barriers.
鈥淭he Fulbright Program is still a powerful tool for fostering international understanding and preventing conflict, just as it was originally intended,鈥� she said.
Cappella chose Italy, where her family has its roots. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in聽biological sciences聽with an additional major in聽professional writing. While a summer intern at Thermo Fisher Scientific, she focused on identifying cancer-related mutations to support the development of personalized treatments.
鈥淚t sparked my interest in how personalized medicine could improve health care access, especially in Italy, where cancer is a leading cause of death and treatment often requires long-distance travel due to limited hospital resources,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s an emergency medical technician with a strong interest in medicine, I鈥檓 also hoping to volunteer or shadow in a clinical setting while in Italy, to better understand how care is delivered there.鈥�
Wilson, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in聽聽with a minor in聽Hispanic studies, applied for a Fulbright as a way to spend more time abroad in Spanish-speaking communities to better understand their relationship with technology. She is going to Peru, where she will help teach both English and computer programming part-time in high schools.
鈥淭he project is still a bit vague because it is very important to me that I tailor my teachings and offerings to the people in the community and their technological needs and interests,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know that as a CMU graduate, wherever I am, I will have valuable tech skills to offer.鈥�
Menand, director of Study Abroad in the聽Office of International Education, applied for the Fulbright International Education Administrators Award largely due to the professional and networking opportunities it offered. Starting in Berlin, she鈥檒l travel to multiple locations over a two-week span, working to build new collaborations and strengthen existing ones.
鈥淲e often get questions from students and departments about opportunities abroad, and without firsthand knowledge, it can be hard to provide meaningful guidance. So, having the chance to be on the ground and collaborate with international colleagues really inspired me,鈥� she said. 鈥淕ermany has a strong technical and innovative academic environment, which aligns well with CMU鈥檚 strengths.鈥�
As the U.S. government鈥檚 flagship international academic exchange initiative, the Fulbright Program provides unmatched opportunities for students and professionals to foster cross-cultural collaboration and understanding. The selection of these latest Fulbright U.S. Students and Fulbright Scholars underscores the university鈥檚 reputation for academic excellence and its commitment to global citizenship.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs once again recognized聽Carnegie Mellon as a Top Fulbright-Producing Institution, a distinction awarded to colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Since the program's inception, Carnegie Mellon has seen 143 Tartans become Fulbright U.S. Student grantees.
The university鈥檚聽Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholar Development聽(OURSD) plays a pivotal role in preparing applicants, offering both broad outreach and personalized guidance. Collaborations with the聽Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics聽and the聽Office of International Education聽have helped expand access to global opportunities for students across disciplines.聽
鈥淲e are incredibly proud that these new Fulbright Students and Scholars are representing CMU on nearly every continent in the upcoming year,鈥� said Richelle Bernazzoli, director of OURSD. 鈥淭hey showcase the wide breadth of expertise the CMU community has to offer, and will contribute to positive U.S. relations with their host countries.鈥�