Tulane University earns top Fulbright producer distinction for fourth consecutive year

Tulane University earns top Fulbright producer distinction for fourth consecutive year

For the fourth straight year, Tulane University has been recognized as one of the top producers of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, placing more students and recent alumni among those selected for the federal government's flagship international educational exchange program. This is the seventh year out of the last 12 that Tulane has been named a top producer of the nation's most competitive applicants.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced Tulane's designation on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Each year, the honor recognizes the U.S. colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for Fulbright grants in the previous academic year. The complete list of top Fulbright-producing universities is published each year by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The Fulbright competition is administered at Tulane through the Newcomb-Tulane College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. Twenty-five Tulane applicants were named semi-finalists in January 2025, with  13  ultimately selected as Fulbright grant recipients and three named as alternates.

"Our continued designation as a top-producing Fulbright institution speaks to the ambition and intellectual drive of our students," said Dean of Newcomb-Tulane College Mollye Demosthenidy. "Their achievements demonstrate what's possible when curiosity meets purpose."

Eleven of the  13 Tulane applicants accepted their  2025-26  Fulbright awards: 

• Mia Chang (current graduate student; SSE `25) | English Teaching Assistant Award in Zambia

• Andrea Chen (SSE`24) | English Teaching Assistant Award in Taiwan

• Annabelle Harris (SLA`24/SSE`24) | Fulbright/University of St. Andrews Award in the United Kingdom

• Anna Hobbins (SLA`25/B`25) | English Teaching Assistant Award in Ecuador

• Tara Ivic-Pavlicic (PHTM`20/MPH `21) | Open Study/Research Award in Serbia

• Daniel Lew (SLA`24) | Open Study/Research Award in Latvia

• Ronan McDonnell (B`25) | Fulbright/America for Bulgaria Foundation English Teaching Assistant Award

• Elizabeth "Clare" McIntyre (SSE`25) | Open Study/Research Award in Chile

• Charlize Nguyen (SSE`24) | Open Study/Research Award in Vietnam

• Alexander Sessums (graduate alumni; A`18) | Elected not to accept the award

• Justin Turpan (SLA`25) | Elected not to accept the award

• Caroline Wright (B`25/SLA`25) | English Teaching Assistant Award in Spain

• Sophia Young (SLA`25) | English Teaching Assistant Award in Brazil

Tulane's Fulbright recipients  for this year are pursuing  their academic and cultural exchange opportunities in Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Latvia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and Zambia, further extending Tulane's global impact and strengthening the university's commitment to fostering international understanding and cooperation.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program. Each year, it supports outstanding students, scholars and professionals from the United States and more than 160 countries and locations as they study, teach and conduct research abroad, expanding knowledge, advancing innovation and strengthening international collaboration. Fulbright alumni go on to distinguished careers and are recognized as leaders in government, business, science, technology, research, education and the arts.

"Fulbright is what Newcomb-Tulane College students do best," said Thomas Spencer, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. "Many begin exploring the program as sophomores, then spend the summer before senior year developing proposals with our guidance. We're proud to support them through every step of the application process."

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world, and have included 44 heads of state or government, 63 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, 83 MacArthur Fellows and countless leaders from all sectors and industries across the United States and around the world.