Denison University has been recognized as a top producer of students in the prestigious Fulbright program for the 2019-2020 academic year. This marks the fourth occasion in the past five years that Denison has been recognized as being among the leaders in the nation in terms of the number of its students who are awarded Fulbrights.

Professor of History Adam Davis is the director of the Lisska Center for Scholarly Engagement. He notes, “Denison students are academically prepared, persistent, globally dexterous, and eager both to learn more about the world and to contribute their many talents and skills. Those qualities are reflected in our rates of acceptance to the Fulbright program.”

He adds, “We are especially thrilled that Denison had a record number of students — 10 in 2019 — offered Fulbright awards. With two students having to decline their award, eight Denison students ended up accepting Fulbrights, which breaks Denison’s previous record.”

Each year the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces the top-producing institutions for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. The Chronicle of Higher Education publishes the lists annually.

“These Fulbrighters serve as citizen ambassadors for the United States in their host communities, and we will benefit from the skills, knowledge, and global connections they build on their exchanges long after they return home,” says Marie Royce, assistant secretary of state for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We are committed to the Fulbright Program’s goals of creating lasting professional and personal connections by sending passionate and accomplished U.S. students of all backgrounds to study, research, or teach English in communities throughout the world.”

Denison’s liberal arts education prepares students to compete for highly selective and prestigious international and national fellowships. These awards, including the Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards, Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Gates, Gilman (for study abroad), Boren, Critical Language Scholarships, Truman, Beinecke, Goldwater, and National Science Foundation scholarships, provide opportunities for Denison students and graduates to study both domestically and abroad. The Lisska Center for Scholarly Engagement supports students in their applications for these awards.

Since 2012-13, Denison students and alumni have received 35 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards, 19 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, 13 Critical Language Scholarships, five DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) in Germany, five Boren Scholarships/Fellowships for language study abroad, and one Beinecke Fellowship for graduate study.

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has given over 390,000 passionate and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to important international problems. The global network of Fulbrighters fosters mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, advances knowledge across communities, and improves lives around the globe.