Tufts’ Fulbright Fellows Embark on Global Journeys of Discovery

Ann Yancey Bassett, A23, started college in Peru through the Tufts Civic Semester, where she worked with single mothers and Venezuelan refugees in the countryside. Ever since then, she has pursued opportunities to learn from those with different backgrounds and views than her own.

"Since returning from Peru, I've sought to apply my Spanish skills to support immigrants navigating the U.S. legal system and immerse myself in other cultures-attempting to understand how other people think and see the world," said Bassett, who is serving as an English teaching assistant in Madrid, Spain on a Fulbright scholarship.

Bassett is one of 14 Tufts alumni participating in the Fulbright U.S. Student programfor the 2025-2026 cycle. The prestigious program is administered by the U.S. State Department and offers a year-long grant for recently graduated undergraduates and current graduate students to spend a year abroad conducting research, attending a graduate program abroad, or teaching English.

"You don't know how much you can possibly learn and experience and grow until you leave the bubble that you've crafted for yourself," said Roshni Bhat, A23, who will be conducting research in Mumbai, India, during her Fulbright year.

Tufts Nowspoke with eight of the 2025-2026 Tufts Fulbright scholarship awardees about why they pursued a Fulbright and what they hope to learn from their time abroad.

Additionally, six other recently-graduated Tufts alumni received Fulbright scholarships: Soliman Aboutaam, A24, will be in Palestine/West Bank as an English teaching assistant; Natalia Bechtold, A24, will be in Spain to conduct research; William Chanmugam, A24, will be in Greece as an English teaching assistant; Khang Andy Nguyen, A25, will be in Vietnam as an English teaching assistant; Tatum Shutt, A25, will be in Italy as an English teaching assistant; and Myiah Webb, A25, will be in Taiwan as an English teaching assistant.

A Return to South Korea-With Additional Goals in Mind

For Esma Abib, A24, who majored in international relations and minored in Arabic, attending high school outside the U.S. first opened her eyes to the possibility of living abroad.

Esma Abib, A24

"When my family relocated to East Africa after I had grown up in Boston, it came as a big shock," said Abib. "However, this experience taught me that you can truly build a life outside of America, and that America isn't the end-all and be-all, which is something I used to believe."

At Tufts, Abib received a U.S. State Department Critical Language Scholarship and later interned at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, where she was inspired to pursue a Fulbright English teaching assistant grant.

"I see this as an extension of my desire to live outside of the U.S.," said Abib. "I hope to gain a deeper understanding of life within a rapidly developing country like South Korea."

Through this experience, Abib plans to draw on lessons from Korean society, post-conflict resolution, and her language competencies for her future career in international development and foreign policy.

Exchanging Knowledge From Colorado to Morocco

Having the opportunity to learn and share knowledge is a large part of what drew Adam Lazarus, N22, to apply for the Fulbright program and conduct research in Morocco.

Adam Lazarus, N22

"I am excited for the chance to both learn and work alongside people from around the world and learn about different cultures and ways of seeing problems and opportunities," said Lazarus, who received a degree in sustainable water management with a concentration in water and diplomacy from the Friedman School. "It's just such a privilege to have this opportunity to learn from people who I perhaps wouldn't otherwise have a chance to meet and work with."

Through his Fulbright scholarship in Morocco, Lazarus will be working with faculty at Hassan II University of Casablanca researching nature-based solutions to increase resiliency to flooding and drought. He will use the knowledge he gained from researching water management and flood resiliency in Denver, Colorado, to inform his work in Morocco, which has similar geography and flooding and drought cycles.

Before graduate school at Tufts, Lazarus worked in Jordan for several years, and he is eager to go abroad again. "I am excited to dive into Moroccan culture, experience different ways of life, and perhaps be a little uncomfortable in a new place," he said.

A Quest to Continuously Learn from Others

"Having grown up in the South and attended college in the Northeast, I appreciate environments in which I can have open, productive conversations with people whose cultural and political backgrounds differ from mine," said Ann Yancey Bassett, a civic studies and sociology major, who took part in the Tufts Civic Semester and Tufts in Madridprograms. "The people that I met in Madrid came from across the country and world. Embracing the cosmopolitan nature of the city, they often discussed sources of regional tension and were eager to understand my perspective on critical domestic and global issues."

Ann Yancey Bassett, A23

Bassett will be returning to Spain as an English teaching assistant at a high school outside of Madrid, and will also develop an art magazine in Alcalá de Henares, encouraging submissions from students and faculty. "I want to invite people to compile their poems, paintings, and sketches in a publication that I'm hoping will stimulate dialogue regarding topics of personal, cultural, and political importance for those at the school and in the community," said Bassett.

Bassett has first-hand experience around the power of learning languages in the company of others. "Serving as a Spanish teaching assistant at the MCI-Concord prison through Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch Collegeand tutoring Latin American refugees in English, I've gained insight into how flaws within our legal and education systems impact those I've worked with, and how I can best leverage my position to support them," said Bassett. "I've always found that process to be very humbling-one that will help me address issues that require collective action across borders."

Crossing Borders, Finding Direction-And Now, a Return

During his sophomore year, Leo Deener, A25, was one of eight Tufts students who were selected to go to Jordan to conduct interviews with scholars, professionals, and journalists as part of an Initiative for Global Leadershipresearch project.

Leo Deener, A25

"Before that, I knew I wanted to study international relations, but didn't have a clear direction beyond that," said Deener. "I enjoyed my time in Jordan so much and knew that I had to go back."

After his return from Jordan, Deener focused on studying the Middle East and began learning Arabic. Now, with a Fulbright, he's going back to the country as an English teaching assistant, and looks forward to improving his teaching skills, continuing to study the Arabic language, and learning more about himself and the world around him.

"I want to improve my ability to deal with discomfort," said Deener. "At Tufts, I got very comfortable in that environment, and I'm ready to make mistakes, be out of my element, and learn how to handle that. I see this as a huge growth opportunity." And not just that, he adds. "Ultimately, I want to learn how a society that's different than the one I'm familiar with works at a deeper level."

Reconnecting With Her Roots and Setting the Stage for Her Career

Lora Kusaku's family's heritage, experience as an ESL teacher, and career goals led her to pursue an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright in Albania.

"It has always been a dream of mine to go back and live there," said Kusaku, whose parents came to America from Albania. "After traveling to Albania to see my family last year, and through my time as an ESL teacher, I got to learn about so many different cultures and see how proud others are of their cultures, which helped drive me to want to have my own experience abroad."

Lora Kusaku, A24

Kusaku, A24, who was a biochemistry major, aims to become a physician-scientist, and understands how valuable effective communication and cultural awareness will be in her career. Her experience as an English teaching assistant will allow her to practice and hone these skills, she said.

"As a physician, I'll be seeing patients from so many different backgrounds and cultures," said Kusaku. "I have to be able to understand that, be culturally aware, and also be able to break down very complex concepts for people who might not have much exposure to science or medicine."

She also looks forward to strengthening her connections to Albania. "The Fulbright is the perfect opportunity for me to immerse myself in the culture, contribute to its ongoing development, build connections, and strengthen my Albanian identity-something I've always wanted," said Kusaku.

A Vision for Career and Personal Growth

A desire to challenge herself, learn more about her family's Indian heritage, and a longing to study abroad-which she was unable to do because she graduated a year early-were a few motivators for Roshni Bhat pursue a Fulbright doing research in Mumbai, India.

Roshni Bhat, A23

"I knew I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone and to do something that would allow me to get to spend some time abroad while also gaining valuable career-related experiences," said Bhat. "My family is from India, and I've been there plenty of times throughout my life, so I can picture what life looks like there, but I also don't know what living there long-term is like. This experience will be the best of both worlds."

With her Fulbright, Bhat will be studying functional vision outcomes for pediatric retinoblastoma patients. "My research will look into determining whether a new type of treatment for these patients is preserving their quality of life, and assessing the cost-benefit analysis of that," she said.

Bhat, who is currently part of a research team at Mass Eye and Ear, said she is "excited to learn from working a different health care landscape and a slightly different research area from what I'm doing now. I am curious to see how my previous work and knowledge translate to this new project, to learn from faculty members in India, and for new opportunities."

Learning from the Dutch Way of Approaching Addiction

Leo Westgard, A23, who was a political science major at Tufts, sees an important area where the U.S. is lacking. "In the United States, stigma around mental health issues, including addiction, is pervasive," said Westgard. "I've seen it baked into our justice system, into how we treat people who ask for help, and into how we restrict access to life-saving medical care."

Leo Westgard, A23

He views the Netherlands as a possible model for how to treat the mental health crisis in the U.S. "The Netherlands treats mental health crises as a public health priority instead of a moral failing," said Westgard, who will pursue a master's degree in health economics, policy, and law at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

"A Fulbright lets me study that up close, immerse myself in the culture that sustains it, and hopefully gather ideas sturdy enough to bring home," he said.

Exploring Chinese-Latin American Ties

Yilan Batista, A25, studied Latin American history at Tufts, and knew that working in Latin America would help her better understanding its politics and culture. She grew up in a mixed Chinese and Cuban household, "and as such, I have always been passionate about the relationship between China and Latin America."

Yilan Batista, A25

For her Fulbright, Batista will be in La Paz, Bolivia, researching the implementation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies among Chinese lithium mining firms, as well as the intersection between the dynamics of ESG, lithium mining, and foreign investment in Bolivia.

"I believe it will help me develop a stronger understanding of the role of critical minerals and sustainability for equitable development and international relations," said Batista. "I believe that my time with Fulbright will allow me to better understand how increasing Chinese investments in Bolivia impact Latin American nations' domestic politics as well as their geopolitical relationships with China and the United States."