Wednesday, October 12, 2022

DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas is one of 43 Hispanic-Serving Institutions nationwide to be named a Fulbright HSI Leader by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This is the first time UNT has earned this designation, which is given to HSI universities who have demonstrated noteworthy engagement with Fulbright exchange participants during the 2021-2022 academic year and have promoted Fulbright Program opportunities on campus.

“UNT is one of only 21 Carnegie Tier One research universities designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and we are proud to now be named a HSI Fulbright Leader as well,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “The Fulbright Program offers opportunities for our students and faculty to be active citizens in the global community through enriching educational, teaching and research experiences abroad.”

Since 1960, there have been more than 80 faculty named as UNT Fulbright Scholars and Specialists. There have been more than 50 UNT Fulbright Student Grantees since 1949.

For the 2022-23 awards cycle, 11 faculty members and students earned awards from the prestigious Fulbright Program. More than 60% of UNT students selected as semi-finalists went on to earn a 2022-23 Fulbright U.S. Student Program award.

Fulbright award winners from UNT include:

Fulbright Scholar Program

  • Andrew Torget, associate professor of history in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Torget will travel to Germany in Spring 2023 to teach at the University of Bremen and advance his research on German migration to Texas in the German Emigration Center archives.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program Awards

  • Zoe Czarnecki, English Teaching Assistant Award to Germany
  • Alexa DeCarlo, English Teaching Assistant Award to Romania
  • Conner Essex, English Teaching Assistant Award to Germany
  • Samuel Hallerman, English Teaching Assistant Award to Germany
  • Lezli McDaniel, English Teaching Assistant Award to Germany
  • Samuel Gaskin, Study/Research Award to France
  • Megan Kelly, Study/Research Award to Chile
  • Alexa Skillicorn, Study/Research Award to Poland

Additionally, Sarah Moore, assistant professor of social work, and Cindy Watson, senior lecturer for Teach North Texas, were selected to participate in the Department of Education’s Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad to Norway in Summer 2022.

Faculty members Rose Baker, learning technologies, Dorothy Bland, journalism, Sian Brannon, libraries, Julie Leventhal, educational psychology, and Dipakkumar Pravin, information technology and decision sciences, were selected in 2022 for the Fulbright Specialist Roster and are now eligible to be considered for a Fulbright Specialist Award.

UNT also is a leading institution in the Dallas Fort-Worth area for hosting visiting Fulbright scholars and students. Currently, there are more than 15 individuals from 12 countries participating in the Fulbright Visiting Scholars Program and Foreign Student Program at UNT.

Established in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright, the Fulbright Program aims to increase the mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through international educational exchange programs. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It provides research, study, teaching and other collaborative opportunities for U.S. students (graduating seniors, current graduate students and alumni) and U.S. faculty, staff and recent post-docs along with opportunities for U.S. institutions to host visiting Fulbright Scholars from around the world.

UNT faculty and students who are interested in applying for any Fulbright awards should email Fulbright@unt.edu.

Fulbright faculty award application deadlines

UNT Fulbright information events

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