5 faculty, 24 students awarded 2025-26 Fulbrights
These 29 Tar Heels will build global connections in the prestigious U.S. Department of State initiative.
UNC-Chapel Hill has 24 recipients of a Fulbright U.S. Student award and five faculty and staff who received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award for 2025-26. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards are for Tar Heels to study, conduct research and teach English abroad. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards are for scholars, faculty, researchers and administrators to conduct research abroad and broaden international education partnerships.
Among the 800 American professionals to receive Fulbright scholar awards are these Tar Heel faculty and staff:
- Madeline Allen, assistant director of global student services, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, received the 2025 Fulbright International Education Administrators Award to deepen her understanding of German higher education and its current challenges.
- Christy Avery, professor of epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, received the 2025-26 Fulbright-University of Leeds Distinguished Scholar Award to study whether genetics can help identify patients with two common autoimmune diseases.
- Tori Smith Ekstrand, professor, UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, received the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award, funded by the European Union, to expand her studies on artificial intelligence education and media law.
- Krista Northup, director for global partnerships in UNC Global Affairs, received the Fulbright International Education Administrators Award to learn about higher education in Japan.
- Gabriel Sneh, Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases fellow and neurology resident at John Hopkins University, will complete his research project on strokes in Zambia.
“We always say that Carolina’s faculty are world class. Receiving a competitive and distinguished Fulbright U.S. Scholar award validates that statement,” said Heather Ward, associate provost for global affairs.
The Office of the Provost and UNC Global Affairs will award $5,000 to faculty or staff who receive a 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. Contact UNC Global Affairs or the Center for Faculty Excellence for more information before the Sept. 15 application deadline.
The 24 students and alumni received Fulbrights to 18 countries on six continents. This year, Carolina has its first-ever Fulbright U.S. Student Program recipients to Bahrain, Eswatini, Iceland, Kuwait and Serbia. Through the Fulbright program, Tar Heels will conduct malaria research in Brazil, work on public health in Malawi, study transportation in Malaysia, collaborate with mathematicians in Germany and serve as English teaching assistants around the globe.
“Carolina develops global leaders. Our students receive remarkable support through language instruction, study abroad, UNC Global Affairs, the Writing Center, and area studies centers, to name a few resources,” said Marc Howlett, executive director of the Office of Distinguished Scholarships in Honors Carolina.
Last year, for the first time ever, Carolina became the No. 1 public university for Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards. Carolina students and alumni interested in applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for 2026-27 should connect with the Office of Distinguished Scholarships. The campus deadline to apply is Sept. 7.
These Tar Heels received 2025-26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards to research, teach English and study:
- Holly Adams ’24 (and current Master of Public Policy graduate student), teaching, Colombia
- Klodia Badal ’25, research, Eswatini
- Eliyambuya Baker ’23, research, Brazil
- Sarah Broyhill ’24, research, Australia
- Kristin Bruffey ’23, teaching, Spain
- Esther Chen ’23 (and current linguistics graduate student), teaching, Germany
- Marion Dewey ’25, teaching, Colombia
- Aden Laws ’25, study, Iceland
- Kyle Lumsden ’25, research, Jamaica
- Lenya Schmidt Neuhaus ’23, research, India
- Kaylee O’Brien ’25, teaching, Czech Republic
- Kailey Patel ’25, teaching, Spain
- Brianna Patterson ’25, teaching, Bahrain
- Abigail Pender ’25, teaching, Colombia
- Dalia Qarqour ’25, research, Kuwait
- Siddharth Reddy ’25, teaching, Serbia
- Aditya Senthil ’25, research, Belgium
- Zachariah Stern ’26 (MD), Fulbright-Fogarty public health fellowship, Malawi
- Corey Su ’17, research, Malaysia
- Trilla Teague ’25, teaching, Spain
- Alessandra Caceres Torres ’24, teaching, Mexico
- Alexandra Whiteside ’25, research, Germany
- Victoria Wlosok ’25, teaching, Czech Republic
- Jason Yan ’25, teaching, Indonesia
