Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. Students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot 鈥�26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The Elon Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at Elon. Reflecting on her early years, she says, 鈥淕rowing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family鈥檚 translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.鈥�

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at Elon, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is 鈥渢he most honest intersection of everything [she鈥檚] been working towards:聽language, identity, education, and community.鈥�

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her Elon mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Mu帽oz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Brati膰 鈥�26

Anya Brati膰, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an Elon College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Brati膰, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and teaching. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at Elon. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for teaching and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to 鈥渨icked鈥� problems. Serving as an English teaching assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and teaching skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Brati膰 is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. 鈥淪imply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,鈥� she says. Brati膰鈥檚 constellation of Elon mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate teaching professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan 鈥�26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At Elon, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, teaching and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her teaching skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students鈥� scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan鈥檚 most influential Elon mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. 鈥淒r. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at Elon,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hrough his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.鈥�

Madison Powers 鈥�25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At Elon, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her undergraduate years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year鈥檚 application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English teaching assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers鈥� current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her Elon mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas 鈥�25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English teaching assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at Elon. She completed a two-year undergraduate research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her teaching skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at Elon. Vindas鈥� Elon mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the 鈥渨onderful鈥� dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco 鈥�26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women鈥檚, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master鈥檚 degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an Elon College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the Campus Alamance program.

Lovasco鈥檚 Elon mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney,听assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning聽and assistant professor of wellness.

Miranda is the sixth Elon student in five consecutive years to receive District 7690’s Rotary Club鈥檚 Global Grant. She follows Faith Leslie 鈥�21, Allison Potter 鈥�22, Kiara Hunter 鈥�23, and joint recipients Megan Curling 鈥�23, Ava de Bruin 鈥�23 and Nazaneen Shokri 鈥�24. All recipients since 2022 have had at least one major in public health, a testament to the Department of Public Health鈥檚 ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.

This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested Elon students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for more information about the application process.

From Elon to the CDC

At Elon, Miranda double majored in public health studies and international & global studies and minored in geography. She made the most of her undergraduate experience by engaging in research and service, and studying abroad in Tanzania. Outside of the classroom, she worked in the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and is proudest of her time as a Multifaith Intern.

The combination of these experiences prepared Miranda well for a post-graduate career with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she served for five years. She first served as a COVID-19 epidemiologist in Kentucky before transitioning to a new role at the Vermont Department of Health, where she specialized in public health emergency preparedness and response. Miranda鈥檚 time with the CDC helped her clarify her passions and refine her professional philosophy: 鈥渆quitable access to healthcare is essential for thriving communities.鈥�

With this domestic training under her belt and her philosophy front of mind, Miranda was ready to go global.

An Intersection of Values

When the time came to think about furthering her education, Miranda grew confident in her decision to look beyond the United States.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to shift my career toward global health, but I also knew I did not want to do so without first understanding my own interests, values, and limits through hands-on experience,鈥� she explained. 鈥淲hen I began thinking about graduate school, I realized that studying abroad would allow me to expand that perspective while learning how health systems operate in a different cultural and policy context.鈥�

Miranda was drawn to Taiwan for its strong public health infrastructure and commitment to disease prevention. National Taiwan University鈥檚 MSc in Global Health program, with its emphasis on international perspectives, offered an unparalleled opportunity for her to deepen her academic and technical training.

To support her goal of attending NTU鈥檚 Global Health program, Miranda began working with the National and International Fellowships Office at Elon, which assists students and alumni in identifying and applying for externally funded scholarships and grants. She first applied for a study/research grant through the and was unfortunately unsuccessful, but undeterred. She continued conversations with Ann Cahill and Nicole Galante, director and assistant director of the Elon National and International Fellowships Office, and it quickly became clear that she was a perfect fit for another fellowship: The Rotary Global Grant.

Guided by their core areas of focus, Rotary is a highly values-based organization that seeks to support students who are just as passionate about solving the world鈥檚 problems as they are. The intersection between Miranda鈥檚 work and Rotary鈥檚 goals was evident to both Miranda and her advisors.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 think of a better fit. It鈥檚 almost as if Holly has spent her whole life preparing to be a Rotarian without actually knowing it,鈥� said Galante.

It was no surprise, then, when Miranda applied for and ultimately received the $30,000 grant that enabled her to begin graduate studies in the fall of 2025.

Returning to the Classroom While Arriving in a New Country

Returning to the classroom after five years鈥攊n a new country, no less鈥攑resented its challenges for Miranda, but she quickly found her footing.

During her first semester, she took courses like Global Health Science, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Social and Behavioral Health, while also participating in field trips to the National Health Care Agency, the global think tank CAPRI, and the Taiwan International Workers Association. To get the most out of her experience in the country, Miranda also took advantage of the free Chinese language courses offered by NTU for international students. Her intensive winter course met for three hours a day, five days a week.

As she looks towards the remainder of her time in the program, Miranda is eager to begin her master鈥檚 thesis.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to conducting my thesis research, focusing on adolescent mental health. I am honored that Professor Shu-Sen Chang is my thesis advisor; he is a leading expert in mental health and suicide prevention in Taiwan and the region. It is a privilege to be part of his lab and to contribute to this area of public health, which I am deeply passionate about,鈥� she said

Once she graduates, Miranda will be well prepared to re-enter the workforce, strengthening health systems, enhancing disease surveillance, and improving outbreak preparedness. In the long term, she aspires to lead outbreak response efforts with M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res (Doctors Without Borders), combining the values and experience she鈥檚 gained from Elon to Taiwan, to no doubt make this world a better and healthier place.聽

Fulbright grantees are not just funded to teach or research鈥攖hey are expected to serve as valuable cultural ambassadors in their respective host countries, both representing the United States and learning about their new communities.

Fulbright grants are awarded on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. As semifinalists, these Elon students and alumni have been recommended鈥痓y鈥痶he National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education鈥痜or final consideration by review panels in their respective host countries. Semifinalists will be鈥痭otified of their final award status this spring, beginning in late March, barring any delays or disruptions at the federal level.

This year鈥檚 Fulbright semifinalists are:

Azul Bellot ’26

• Psychology and Sociolinguistics
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Jo Bogart ’26

• Creative Writing and Classical Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Anya Brati膰 ’26

• International & Global Studies and Public Policy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Vietnam

Rony Dahdal ’26

• Computer Science, Math, and Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Sweden

Jubitza Figueroa ’21

• Political Science
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Alex Fleischmann ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to South Korea

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

• Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Taiwan

Caroline Mitchell ’26

• Middle Grades Math and Special Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Bulgaria

Molly Moylan ’26

• Biochemistry
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Madison Powers ’25

• Journalism
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Aryanna Vindas ’25

• Dance Performance & Choreography
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to South Korea

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. To begin the Fulbright application process, please visit the Fulbright Application Process page to register for one of the following virtual Fulbright information sessions during the spring semester:

• Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m.
• Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, May 21 at 12 p.m.

Elon has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. This year, 50% of Elon鈥檚 28 applicants were named semi-finalists in January.

The Fulbright Program has experienced unprecedented disruptions since January 2025. The review process, which is governed by extensive and detailed treaties between the US and host countries, requires an initial US review phase (during which semi-finalists are determined) followed by host-country review phase (during which the finalists are determined). This process ensured that host communities have the final say in which applicants are selected. This year, the host-country review phase was, according to multiple reports from host countries, followed by an additional round of scrutiny by the US State Department, and some host countries reported that upwards of 40% of their selected applicants were rejected. It is unclear if fewer grants were awarded overall as a result of this scrutiny.

A significant portion of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program staff were furloughed in March, which led to severe delays in fund dispersal and finalist announcements. This month, the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, the presidentially-appointed board of directors that oversees the Fulbright Program, but is not responsible for its day-to-day operations, overwhelmingly voted to resign in response to the Trump Administration鈥檚 interference in the 2025 review process. The future of congressional funding for Fulbright remains in question.

Those who received awards this year are:

Margo Buchanan 鈥�25

A double major in theatrical design & technology and political science with a minor in German studies, Margo Buchanan has been selected for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Germany. She is from Raleigh, North Carolina.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Buchanan took every opportunity she could while at Elon to learn about Germany. She conducted two-years of independent research about opera scenic design in Germany as an Elon College Fellow, served as president of the German Club, and spent a semester studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany. It was her semester abroad that inspired her to return to the region after graduation.

In addition to the Fulbright US Student Program in Germany, Buchanan was selected for the Teaching Assistantship Program of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education (BMB), administered by Fulbright Austria. She will spend this summer working as a stage crew lead for the Santa Fe Opera before heading to Austria to teach English, where she is eager to build on the teaching and mentoring experience she began in high school.

Buchanan鈥檚 Elon mentors include her German professors, Kristin Lange and Scott Windham, and Luis Silva, technical director for the Department of Performing Arts.

Rachel Maccini 鈥�25

Rachel Maccini, a double major in special education and middle grades mathematics with minors in psychology and German studies, has been selected for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Germany. The Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa graduate is from Westford, Massachusetts.

At Elon, Maccini was a dedicated student educator who also served as the captain for the Elon Cheer Team. She blended her interests in teaching with German studies, serving as a teaching and learning assistant for a German language course and earning entry into Delta Phi Alpha, the National German Honor Society. Maccini鈥檚 desire to live in Germany after graduation was solidified during her Winter Term course in Germany, and the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Germany is what she describes as 鈥渢he perfect fit.鈥� After Fulbright, she plans to return to the US to work in education and hopes to utilize her experiences in German classrooms to support multilingual and neurodiverse students.

Maccini鈥檚 most influential Elon mentor is Kristin Lange, who initially encouraged her to apply for Fulbright.

鈥淒r. Kristin Lange has made a huge impact on me,鈥� said Maccini. 鈥淗er love for the German language and her passion for teaching are truly contagious. Anyone who takes a class with her can feel it.鈥�

Cristy Marin茅 鈥�25

A double major in cinema & television arts (BFA) and strategic communications, Cristy Marin茅 has been selected for a Fulbright grant to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in creative industries at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. She is from Caracas, Venezuela and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Marin茅 was a highly engaged Elon student who completed five internships鈥攊ncluding one in Los Angeles with E! News, and another with a photography studio in Sorrento, Italy鈥攁nd directed three short films. One in particular, 鈥淐orazones Dulces,鈥� centered on a Latina who grieves the loss of her grandmother through baking, and was the only film in Spanish at 2024 Cinelon Film Festival. The master鈥檚 in creative industries at Exeter, which will allow her to blend creative and business courses while interning with a British creative agency, is the natural next step in Marin茅鈥檚 goal of making short films that tell authentic聽stories about underrepresented groups.

Marin茅鈥檚 constellation of mentors is wide, including Staci Saltz, Youseff Osman, Kai Swanson, Jessalyn Strauss, Sylvia Mu帽oz and MJ Larrazabal.

鈥淎ll of my mentors at Elon have challenged me in ways that have helped me grow into the person聽I am today, she said. 鈥淔or that, I am forever grateful.鈥�

Celia Roskin 鈥�20

Celia Roskin, an elementary education major (policy studies minor) from the class of 2020, has been selected for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Taiwan. She is from Durham, North Carolina.

At Elon, Roskin cultivated her passions for teaching, language learning and cross-cultural exchange. She spent a Winter Term in Malawi teaching English to primary school students and a summer in Cordoba, Argentina, taking Spanish language classes at the local university. She also completed the Peace Corps Prep Program and volunteered with the Village Project and the Boys and Girls Club. These experiences prepared her for her current role as an Educational Resources Specialist at the Library of Congress, where she creates, coordinates and facilitates professional development for educators by utilizing primary sources from the Library’s collections.

鈥淚 continue to feel a calling to classroom聽teaching,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚’m ready to get out of my comfort zone and explore a new culture and different approaches to early education.鈥�

A year as an English teaching assistant in Taiwan will allow Roskin to expand her teaching philosophy and pedagogy while exploring the Taiwanese approach to literacy education. She plans to return to the Library of Congress with new skills and resources to provide for US educators.

Roskin鈥檚 Elon mentors include education professors Erin Hone and Marna Winter.

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office.

Established in 1951, is the nation鈥檚 oldest continuous investment in the U.S. STEM workforce. The program provides financial support and professional development to outstanding students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.

This year, the NSF GRFP received over 13,000 applications for 2,000 advertised awards. However, due to funding cuts, only 1,000 promising researchers were named recipients and over 3,000 were named honorable mentions鈥攁 marked shift from previous years when far more recipients were named than honorable mentions. Honorable mentions might still have the chance to be named recipients should more funding become available, and this story will be updated should any changes occur.

To learn more about the NSF GRFP and other nationally competitive awards like it, students and alumni should visit the National and International Fellowships Office鈥檚 website to schedule an appointment.

Chris D’Inzeo ’24

Chris D鈥橧nzeo graduated from Elon in 2024 with a degree in chemistry. At Elon, D鈥橧nzeo primarily worked with Vickie Moore, associate professor of chemistry, on a three-year project focused on evolving cell line models of chemoresistant cancers and understanding the roles of nucleic acid structures in the progression of chemotherapy resistance. Off campus, he was an Amgen Scholar at Duke University, where he worked in Amanda Hargrove’s lab on two different projects generally aimed at developing RNA as a target for therapeutic聽small molecules, and a student researcher at UNC Chapel Hill with Jeff Aub茅 and Ahlam Armaly on a project focused on the synthesis of a marine natural product with antimicrobial activity.

D’Inzeo was also a Periclean Scholar, a member of the marching band (drumline), and the co-founder of STEM Saturday, a STEM outreach program for Alamance-Burlington high schoolers.

D鈥橧nzeo began his career with the National Cancer Institute after he received the highly competitive NIH Undergraduate Scholarship in his senior year, which provided a pathway for employment with the National Institutes of Health. He鈥檚 currently working with Jay Schneekloth with the NCI on projects aimed at developing bifunctional RNA targeting molecules as novel therapeutics. This will no doubt prepare him for his greatest academic challenge yet: a doctorate in chemistry at Princeton University.

D’Inzeo鈥檚 Elon mentors include Vickie Moore, Ahlam Armaly, Tony Rizzuo and Dan Wright.

Alana Evora ’23

Alana Evora graduated from Elon in 2023 with degrees in biology and computer science. An Honors Fellow, Evora won the Lumen Prize in 2021 to support her research project, 鈥淪imulating Vibrational Soundscapes to Investigate the Effect of Vibrational Road Noise on Animals.鈥� Under the mentorship of Elon professor Jen Hamel, as well as in collaboration with Rex Cocroft (University of Missouri) and Shyam Madhusudhana (Curtin University), Evora created an open-source software tool called VibePy for studying vibrational communication, which is now freely available for download and shared in an open-access publication in the journal “Entomologica Experimentalis et Applicata.” In addition to her impressive undergraduate research, Evora is proud of her work as a Writing Center consultant, and as one of the chartering members of Elon鈥檚 first Asian interest sorority, Kappa Phi Lambda, Inc.

Since graduating, Evora has been working as a research technician at Duke University in the lab of Arnaldo Carreira-Rosario, where they use fruit flies to study how the brain becomes active for the first time during development, and how this early neural activity influences behavior. She is excited to stay at Duke in the fall to join the Neurobiology Graduate Training Program in the School of Medicine, studying developmental and systems neurobiology.

Her Elon mentors include Jen Hamel, Elizabeth von Briesen and Brant Touchette.

Aubrey Spicola ’25

Aubrey Spicola is a graduating senior with a major in astrophysics and a minor in mathematics. As an Honors Fellow, Spicola has been working with Tony Crider to develop a multiplayer mixed-reality planetarium intended to supplement introductory course materials in college astronomy with 3D visuals. She was also selected for a competitive NSF REU at Cornell University in 2024 where she worked with data from a recent release by the MeerKAT Telescope as part of the Thousand-Pulsar-Array program and focused on analyzing radio observations to study the timing properties of pulsars, and how these objects can be used to probe the interstellar medium.

In addition to her impressive research, Spicola is a senior residential assistant, an astronomy teaching assistant, and a tutor in the Koenigsberger Learning Center. She is particularly proud of her work as a planetarium specialist for nearly three years with the Schiele Museum of Natural History, where she wrote and created several seasonal shows, and helped lead an expedition for museum guests to Texas to view the solar eclipse in April 2024.

Spicola is eager to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall to earn her doctorate in physics. She will be attending as a Royster Fellow, UNC鈥檚 premier doctoral fellowship, which will provide her the opportunity to explore different research labs as she begins her graduate studies.

Her Elon mentors include Tony Crider, Kyle Altmann, Chris Richardson, Emily Evans and Martin Kamela.

The award, given by聽, provides scholarships to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Scholars all demonstrate an early passion for research, often exhibited by completing multiple projects at the undergraduate level. To apply, all students must first receive university nomination鈥攚hich can be a competitive process itself鈥攁nd universities can only nominate up to four students per year, meaning that the competition at the national level is particularly stiff. This year, Goldwater received over 5,000 applications and named 441 scholars, Karty among them.聽Karty had his sights set on Goldwater before even beginning at Elon.

鈥淢y biggest motivation for applying to the Goldwater Scholarship was my dad, Professor Joel Karty,鈥� he explained. 鈥淗e is proud to have mentored Geoffrey Lynn, the first Goldwater recipient in Elon’s history, so it is really fulfilling for it to come full circle with me receiving the Goldwater Scholarship as well.鈥�

Karty鈥檚 main research interest is robotics, specifically agricultural robotics, and he is no stranger to the research process. He began college-level research as a senior in high school when he had the chance to work with Jon Su, associate professor of engineering, on a project left unfinished by two students who鈥檇 graduated.

鈥淚 started working with Jacob when he was in high school, and even then he was one of the brightest students I鈥檝e ever encountered: Jacob literally accomplished in a day what took a team of students a year,” said Su.

The pair kept this momentum going and evolved the project into an Honors Fellows thesis proposal called 鈥淟ensfree Holographic Imaging and Machine Learning to Protect Freshwater Resources鈥� that ultimately won Karty the Lumen Prize.聽

鈥淯sing a lensfree imaging setup that I designed and built, I take pictures of a sample of activated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant as I vary the amount of food this sample receives,鈥� Karty explained. 鈥淭hen, using machine learning techniques, I am currently thinking a convolutional autoencoder combined with K means clustering, I will predict the harmful foaming of the bacteria.鈥�

His Lumen research is only the beginning. On campus, Karty has also worked extensively with Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering, on a project utilizing 3D data collection to individually farm pea plants. Like Su, Hament sings Karty鈥檚 praises, commending him for his 鈥渨onderful blend of intellect, creativity, perseverance, and strong work ethic.鈥� Off campus, Karty completed an NSF REU at Oregon State University where he built an apple picking robotic gripper and a data collection system that will allow the robot to use Learning from Demonstration to pick an apple like a human would.

All of this is only the beginning for Karty. Following his graduation in 2026, he plans to earn a doctorate in Robotics to continue his work researching and developing agriculture robotics to produce food more efficiently.

Karty is the ninth Elon student to be awarded the Goldwater Scholarship, following Rony Dahdal 鈥�26,听 Danielle DaSilva 鈥�24,听Madison George 鈥�23,听Ashlyn Crain 鈥�22,听Anna Altmann 鈥�23,听Mariana Kneppers 鈥�18,听Kelsey Van Dalfsen 鈥�12听补苍诲听Geoffrey Lynn 鈥�07. Elon students interested in the Goldwater Scholarship or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact聽the National and International Fellowships Office.

awards approximately 2,200 grants annually in all fields of study, with recent graduates and graduate students undertaking international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and primary and secondary teaching worldwide.鈥疐ounded in 1946,鈥痶he Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. As semifinalists, these Elon students and alumni have been recommended鈥痓y鈥痶he National Screening Committee of the Institute of International Education鈥痜or final consideration for a Fulbright award. They will be鈥痭otified of their final award status this spring beginning in late March.

This was another strong year for Fulbright applicants from Elon, with 50% being recommended as semifinalists. This number is even more impressive when you consider that Elon applicants have increasingly pursued study/research grants in recent years, which are the most competitive Fulbright grants to obtain. While the Fulbright U.S. Student Program鈥檚 average acceptance rate is 20%, the study/research grants Elon students applied for this year have an average acceptance rate of 6.9%.

This year鈥檚 Fulbright semifinalists are:

Margo Buchanan 鈥�25

• Theatrical Design & Technology and Political Science
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Germany

Drew Fetterolf 鈥�25

• Biochemistry and Religious Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Kenya

Ryan Gibbons 鈥�25

• Environmental & Ecological Science and Cinema & Television Arts
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Daniel Haley 鈥�25

• Philosophy and Psychology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Ireland

Rachel Maccini 鈥�25

• Special Education and Middle Grades Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Germany

Cristy Marin茅 鈥�25

• Cinema & Television Arts and Strategic Communications
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the United Kingdom

Madison Powers 鈥�25

• Journalism
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Spain

Claire Przybocki 鈥�24

• International & Global Studies and Economics
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Poland

Bailey Reutinger 鈥�25

• Statistics and Biology
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to the Netherlands

Sydnie Rogers 鈥�22

• Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Rwanda

Celia Roskin 鈥�20

• Elementary Education
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Taiwan

Nicholas Rugbart 鈥�25

• International & Global Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research grant to Taiwan

Morgan Seate 鈥�25

• Philosophy
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright study/research Grant to the United Kingdom

Sadie Smith 鈥�25

• Strategic Communications and International & Global Studies
• Semifinalist for a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to Bulgaria

Elon students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. To begin the Fulbright application process for grants in 2026-27, students should visit the Fulbright Application Process page to register for one of the following Fulbright information sessions during spring semester:

• Wednesday, March 5 at 4:00 (virtual)
• Thursday, April 10 at 4:30 (in person)
• Wednesday, May 21 at noon (virtual)

The program provides up to $20,000 per academic year in tuition, educational expenses and reasonable living expenses to scholarship recipients, and it can be renewed for up to four years. Scholars will spend ten weeks during the summer following each year of academic support working in an NIH research laboratory. After graduation, they will spend one year for every year of support as a full-time employee conducting research at NIH.

Elon students have been remarkably successful in this competition in recent years. Last year, three seniors鈥擥enesis Tolbert 鈥�24, Christopher D鈥橧nzeo 鈥�24 and Samuel Ramirez 鈥�24鈥�were selected as scholarship program recipients.

As an Elon College Fellow with a double major in public health and political science, Samantha Hinton discovered a passion for health-related research with real-world applications during her time at Elon. She applied for and received the Lumen Prize in her sophomore year to fund her two-year project studying the impacts of immigration enforcement on Latinx healthcare utilization in Alamance County, which both inspired and prepared her to apply for the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program.

Molly Green, assistant professor of public health studies and Hinton鈥檚 research mentor, is confident that this experience will allow Hinton to continue the important work she began at Elon.

鈥淪amantha is a truly exceptional student who has been a joy to work with,鈥� said Green. 鈥淔rom the moment we started working together to plan her Lumen project proposal, Samantha has gone above and beyond to understand the material and ensure that her work would be both rigorous and meaningful to the community. Getting awarded the very prestigious NIH Undergraduate Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for Samantha to further her public health training. I know she鈥檒l gain invaluable experience working at NIH after she graduates from Elon and cannot wait to see where this opportunity continues to take her.鈥�

In addition to her Lumen project, Hinton鈥檚 semester abroad helped prepare her to receive the NIH UGSP.

鈥淢y study abroad experience in Peru was a lifechanging experience,鈥� said Hinton. 鈥淲hile there, I had a chance to conduct a secondary research project, investigating the use of traditional medicine and birthing practices in the Peruvian Amazon. This experience further solidified my interest in health research and gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in another culture!鈥�

In the future, after her time with the NIH, Hinton plans to earn a doctorate in health behavior or medical anthropology with the hopes of becoming a professor.

The 2025 application for the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program is now open! Interested students should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for support with the application process soon, or to learn about other nationally competitive awards, as soon as possible.

Curling, de Bruin and Shokri are currently abroad in their respective graduate programs. Curling is in Germany, earning a master of public health (MPH) at The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, and de Bruin and Shokri are both in the United Kingdom: the former at The London School of Economics, earning a master of science in health and international development, and the latter at University College London earning a master of science in Women鈥檚 Health.

While they each had unique journeys at Elon, these three graduates all have one thing in common: a degree in public health. Six Elon students have received Rotary Global Grants from the Piedmont District 7690 Rotary Club in the past four years, and five of them have had at least one major in public health. Kiara Hunter won the grant in 2023 to earn a master of science in population health from University College London, and Allison Potter won the grant in 2022 to earn an MSc in Health and International Development from the London School of Economics. The continued success of Elon鈥檚 public health majors in this competition is a testament to the department鈥檚 ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.

This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested Elon students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office by early January 2025 for more information about the application process.

Megan Curling ’23

Megan Curling graduated from Elon in 2023 with degrees in journalism and public health. Her Elon career was marked by both academic excellence and dedicated leadership at nearly every level. She was named a Lumen Scholar to research the cultural and environmental impacts of the Tungkum Gold Mine on the villagers of Na Nong Bong, Thailand; she held leadership roles in Student Government Association and LEAF (Lutherans, Episcopalians and Friends); she was selected to participate in Elon鈥檚 competitive Year of Service Program, where she worked with Cone Health and Alamance Regional Medical Center; and聽she was named a Youth Trustee and was appointed to serve a two-year term on Elon鈥檚 Board of Directors. Rotary is a natural extension of Curling鈥檚 consistent dedication to community, service, and cross-cultural engagement.

鈥淢y entire Elon experience laid the foundation for my success with the聽Rotary Global Grant,鈥� Curling explained. 鈥淚 applied for the grant because it perfectly supports my passion for public health and my commitment to global service. The opportunity to study internationally aligned with my belief in the power of cross-cultural collaboration to make impactful change in聽Rotary’s goals of promoting peace, fighting disease and improving the quality of life in communities worldwide.鈥�

Curling鈥檚 selection for a Rotary Global Grant is no surprise to her former faculty. 鈥淢egan is brilliant, and she also brings genuine humility to her work,鈥� said Stephanie Baker, associate professor of public health studies and chair of the Department of Public Health Studies at Elon.

Curling is confident that her time in the MPH program at The Hamburg University of Applied Sciences鈥攑articularly in a country ranked in the top 10 globally for public health, quality of life and education鈥攚ill prepare her to work for an organization that cares about improving health outcomes with sustainable, community-involved solutions, particularly in underserved communities.

Ava de Bruin ’23

Ava de Bruin graduated from Elon in 2023 with degrees in economics and public health. To truly blend her academic interests, she completed two undergraduate research projects: one about HIV prevention in Malawi and another about domestic violence and its effects on women鈥檚 financial well-being. de Bruin studied abroad twice in New Zealand and Ghana (she had plans to spend a semester in Tanzania but was unable due to COVID-19) while also completing Elon鈥檚 Peace Corp Prep Program to further her interests in international service and sustainable, effective global partnerships. Her commitment to academic excellence even earned her membership into Phi Beta Kappa鈥攁ll while she trained for four years as a Division I athlete on Elon鈥檚 Dance Team.

Just like Curling, de Bruin made a strong impression on her public health faculty. Cynthia Fair, professor of public health studies, taught de Bruin in a senior seminar and noted that her proposal for HIV prevention in Malawi was 鈥渙ne of the best proposals [she鈥檇] seen over years of teaching senior seminar鈥� and clearly illustrated de Bruin鈥檚 deep commitment to addressing health and economic disparities.

At The London School of Economics, de Bruin will be able to uniquely honor these interests in global health and economics. She is particularly eager to develop a deeper understanding of econometric analysis while extending the research she began at Elon that explores the impact of domestic violence survivorship on the financial well-being of women.

Just as she is eager to continue the trend of academic excellence she began at Elon, de Bruin is also 鈥渞eally excited to grow [her] community of peers, faculty, and friends.鈥�

鈥淚 had such a wonderful community while at Elon, and I鈥檝e grieved my time here coming to an end,” said de Bruin. “My Elon journey will always be part of my identity, and I am ready to plant roots in another robust academic community for this next stage in my life. Without my experience at Elon, I would have never had the tools or confidence to take this chance.鈥�

Nazaneen Shokri ’24

Nazaneen Shokri graduated from Elon in 2024 with a degree in public health. Shokri鈥檚 undergraduate endeavors were characterized by her passion for transforming healthcare by addressing inequities and improving access for underserved communities. She applied for and won the Lumen Prize to support her two-year project, 鈥淒ata Justice: MENA Women, Preterm Birth, and Discrimination,鈥� which focused on discrimination faced by women from the MENA region during labor that can lead to preterm birth. She was also a member of the H.E.R. (Health Equity and Racism) Lab and an organizing member of Students for Peace and Justice at Elon. Rotary is a natural fit for Shokri, and for her, the grant is more than just a monetary scholarship.

鈥淩otary isn鈥檛 only a scholarship, but an opportunity to impact communities on a larger scale,鈥� she said. 鈥淏acked by聽Rotary, I鈥檒l have the tools I need to make true change and an impactful difference when it comes to the field of maternal and child health.鈥� In addition to attending a graduate program, Rotary also requires that Shokri and all recipients of the grant maintain a blog about their experience and connect regularly with the local Rotary club in their host community.

Shokri鈥檚 undergraduate mentor, Assistant Professor of Public Health Students Yanica Faustin, noted that she 鈥渋s such a determined scholar who is a fierce advocate for her community.鈥� While Shokri鈥檚 ultimate goal is to attend medical school, she鈥檚 made the intentional choice to earn a master of science in women鈥檚 health from University College London first because she wants to be an obstetrician who truly serves her patients with an equity-minded, antiracist framework.

鈥淭his experience completely changed the trajectory of my life. I am a Latina, a child of immigrants, low-income, and first-generation college student,鈥� Duque said. 鈥淲hile I hold these identities with pride, I recognize that they come with many societal disadvantages. I don鈥檛 think I would be successfully pursuing my bachelor鈥檚 degree without their guidance.鈥�

The resources and community that Duque found in Elon Academy and at Elon inspired her to further pursue her education through the (PPIA-JSI). Although Duque learned about the program as a first year, the fellowship is only open to rising seniors, so she spent her time at Elon strengthening her resume as a Periclean Scholar and a scholar in the Odyssey Program. Duque is double majoring in political science and data analytics, which made her a perfect fit for the summer institute program.

Through the PPIA Junior Summer Institute, 149 scholars will participate in six weeks of free, rigorous summer programming at one of six campus partners to prepare students for advanced schooling and careers in public service and leadership in both domestic and global affairs. Fellows were selected based on merit and their previous, current, and stated dedication to public service.

Duque will be one of 30 students to call at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home for the summer.

鈥淚 am looking forward to meeting peers and professionals in the growing interdisciplinary field of public policy and data analytics, as it merges my current majors,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am also excited to live in and explore Pittsburgh, even if it is for seven weeks.鈥�

is a nonprofit organization that has been supporting efforts to increase diversity in public leadership for 43 years.聽After the fellowship, if Duque is admitted to one of Heinz College鈥檚 full-time graduate programs, she will receive a full-tuition scholarship. During Duque鈥檚 final year as an undergraduate student, she plans to spend the fall semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain, and her spring semester participating in Elon鈥檚 Washington, D.C. program.