The University of Wisconsin continued to affirm its place as a premiere research university in the nation by ranking in the top 10 in institutions by the number of Fulbright Fellowships awarded to students.
Awarded annually in the fall, the Fulbright Institute of International Education Fellowship was presented to 1,559 U.S. citizens in more than 100 different fields of study for 2009-10. With 17 UW students receiving the distinguished honor and 15 accepting, UW placed ninth on the list.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides funding for one academic year of study, research or assistant teaching abroad, and is sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
“We’re proud of the distinction and of all the Fellowship recipients,” said UW spokesperson John Lucas. “It is a great way to show how the UW makes an impact, not only locally and statewide but also on a global level.”
Lucas also mentioned this is not the first year UW has found itself on the list. The university has had at least 12 Fulbright Fellows every year for the past eight, allowing UW to make the top 10 list more times than not.
“Students and graduates alike come back from the fellowship with good experiences, great connections and vastly more aware of their place in the global community,” Lucas said.
Among the university’s recipients this year is Chris Limburg, who was awarded the Fellowship for research purposes.
“I’m going to Nepal to do a geography of nagas (serpentine nature spirits),” Limburg said. “I’ll be using ethnography to study another layer of landscape, one of belief in nonhuman characters who are intimately involved in environmental forces.”
Limburg echoed Lucas’ sentiments on the experience and explained the only way for the university to continue to have such prestigious recognition is for past Fellows to share their experiences and encourage others to apply.
“Anyone who cares about the world beyond the USA should apply,” Limburg said.
Furthermore, he said anyone who cares about a healthy and prosperous U.S., which requires a realistic, compassionate view of the rest of the world, would do very well to apply.
