Five GW Students and Alumni Receive Fulbright Grants for 2026–27, with One More Named as Alternate

July 27, 2026

Authored by:

Greg Varner

Five George Washington University students and alumni have been named Fulbright grant recipients for 2026-27, and one more was named as an alternate who will be moved to finalist status if funds become available, according to Jacob Alan English, director of the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research (CUFR).

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship program for international academic exchange. The awards enable recipients to teach, study or conduct research abroad. This year, five GW students received awards for research, and one received an English teaching assistant award.

The GW students and alumni selected as grant recipients include:

• Joaquin Amigorena, B.A. '24 (Elliott School of International Affairs), Study/Research Award, Mexico;

• Cole Cooper, currently enrolled in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Study/Research Award, Israel;

• Kaija Harlow, currently an anthropology Ph.D. student in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Study/Research Award, Tanzania;

• Katherine Herlihy, B.Sci. '26 (Milken Institute School of Public Health), Study/Research Award, Australia;

• Isabella Rizzo, B.A. '25 (Elliott School of International Affairs), English Teaching Assistant Award, Taiwan.

The alumna selected as an alternate is:

• Antara Choudhary, B.A. '26 (Elliott School of International Affairs), English Teaching Assistant Award, Timor-Leste.

The CUFR, located in Gelman Library, introduces students to undergraduate research opportunities and national awards and provides mentorship to candidates before, during and after the application process for the award(s) they seek. English offered his congratulations to this year's Fulbright awardees and praised their courage, leadership and resilience throughout the rigorous application process involving multiple essay drafts. Applicants condense years of experience and learning into narratives of two or three pages.

"These inspiring young leaders embody the depth, diversity and ambition of our scholar community," English said. "Through compelling narratives, this year's grantees conveyed not only the motivations behind their work, but also the conviction, preparation and purpose necessary to successfully carry out their proposed projects.

"Their accomplishments continue to expand GW's global reach, opening new pathways in countries where our students have rarely, and in some cases never, received Fulbright recognition. This is just the beginning of the impact they will have as global scholars and citizens."

Amigorena is the fifth GW student to receive a Fulbright grant of any type to Mexico, and third GW student to receive the Binational Business Program grant there, English said. Cooper is the third GW student to receive a grant of any type to Israel, the first since 2016. Harlow is the third GW student to receive a grant in Tanzania, with the most recent previous student receiving a grant in 2011. Herlihy is the third GW student to receive a grant of any type to Australia, with the last student receiving a grant in 1993. Rizzo is the seventh GW student to receive a grant of any type to Taiwan, and sixth GW student to receive an English Teaching Assistant grant to Taiwan.

"This year, 54 applicants entered the competition, and 18 of them advanced as semifinalists," English said. "These outcomes invite us to continue building an ecosystem where every student with the curiosity to explore the world has the guidance, encouragement, and opportunity to pursue it."

Fulbright outcomes are never the work of one person or one office, English added.

"Every Fulbright recipient carries the imprint of a community that believed in them long before they received the award. Faculty and mentors across the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the Elliott School of International Affairs, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships have cultivated spaces where intellectual curiosity, critical inquiry and global engagement flourish."

More than 400,000 people from all backgrounds have participated in the Fulbright Program since its inception in 1946. An initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program is among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world. Fulbright scholars gain a broadened view of the world in general along with a deeper appreciation for their host country and its people.

The 2027-28 competition for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program is now open. Applications must be submitted by the national deadline of 5 p.m. on Oct. 6.

Meet GW's 2026-27 Fulbright Grantees

Joaquin Amigorena

"The Fulbright application process was incredibly rewarding, but it required patience and flexibility. Regardless of the outcome, the process gave me a valuable n North Star; something to look forward to when the everyday challenges of life felt overwhelming. It also pushed me to reflect on what I had accomplished academically and professionally, as well as where I hoped to take my career. I want to thank CUFR staff for the role that they played in shaping and supporting my application.

"Through my Fulbright selection to Mexico under the Binational Business Program, I hope to use my time abroad to become a specialist in U.S.-Mexico relations and ultimately apply the private-sector experience and cross-cultural skills I gain to a career in the U.S. Foreign Service or another foreign policy role focused on the region."

Cole Cooper

"This Fulbright represents more than an academic milestone to me-it is the convergence of the many languages I've learned to speak to address a crucial disparity I've learned to see.

"Emergency medicine has shown me that it is often the foundation of trust across cultures and communities and is the first place where a community's confidence in care is either affirmed or lost. Thank you to Isabelle Giuttari in GW's Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships and Dr. Jacob English in CUFR for helping me get to this point."

Kaija Harlow

"The Fulbright application process is different from a traditional grant. It heavily emphasizes the individual researcher and their contributions to society, whereas traditional grants tend to heavily emphasize the project. The application pushed me outside of my comfort zone and encouraged me to deeply reflect on the impact I wish to leave through my research. I was absolutely thrilled and honored when I received the news that I was selected. I am so appreciative of Dr. English's feedback and support throughout my application process. With recent significant cuts in federal funding for research, I was left with few funding opportunities for my project. I am so thankful to be able to say that receiving the Fulbright has provided all necessary funding. In the future, I hope to combine behavioral ecology and conservation research to promote the well-being of threatened mammalian species."

Katherine Herlihy

"I'll be researching how eucalypt forest recovers from high severity fire in the Blue Mountains National Park of New South Wales, through a combination of computer-based spatial analysis and field work.

"My undergraduate degree allowed me to focus on the intersection of public health and the environment, and my experiences both at GW and studying abroad at the University of Cape Town drew me to the fields of wildland fire and fire ecology. Knowing the importance of fire to Mediterranean ecosystems, I narrowed my country of interest to Australia, motivated by my time studying the response to fire in the similar climate of South Africa's Western Cape.

"After Fulbright, I plan to continue my career in forestry and fire, combining my interests in emergency medical response and ecology with academic research."

Isabella Rizzo

"I am looking forward to teaching English while also fostering cross-cultural exchange, mutual understanding and stronger ties between the United States and Taiwan. The Fulbright application process offered a unique space for reflection and solidified my aspirations of pursuing a career rooted in public service, public diplomacy and equitable education. I have infinite gratitude to GW and to my mentors for their support throughout this process."