11 KU students, alumni named semifinalists for Fulbright Awards

LAWRENCE – Eleven University of Kansas students and alumni have advanced to the semifinalist round for Fulbright U.S. Student Awards, which will provide funding to study, conduct research or teach English abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The year’s Fulbright semifinalists represent diverse academic fields across campus, coming from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the schools of Business, Education & Human Sciences and Music. The semifinalists’ locations of proposed study span four continents and nine countries.

The Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries. The U.S. Student Fulbright program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement as well as their record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. Fulbright grants provide funding for round-trip travel, maintenance for one academic year, health and accident insurance and, where relevant, tuition.

Finalists and alternates will be announced later this spring.

The 2023-2024 Fulbright semifinalists:

Yasmine Adrian has proposed to travel to Germany to study and conduct research in international relations. From Arlington, Virginia, she graduated in 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in global & international studies and German studies. Her parents are Steve and Allyson Adrian.

Kate Crnkovich has applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in Armenia. From Watertown, Wisconsin, Crnkovich will graduate in May with a master’s degree in Slavic languages & literatures, which she earned her bachelor’s degree in two years ago. Her parents are Wes and Julie Crnkovich.

Quinton Dotzert has proposed to travel to South Korea to study and conduct research in Korean studies. From Collinsville, Illinois, Dotzert will graduate in May with bachelor’s degrees in the history of art and in East Asian languages & cultures with a double concentration in Chinese and Korean. He also has a minor in political science. Their parent is Bobbie Brown.

Virginia Hannahan has proposed to travel to United Kingdom to study and conduct research in philosophy at the University of St Andrews. From Fairhope, Alabama, Hannahan will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a certificate in logic and formal reasoning. Her parents are Tommy and Bridget Hannahan. 

Meredith Loehr has applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in Germany. From Topeka, Loehr will graduate this May with bachelor’s degrees in global & international studies and German. Her parents are Wendy Bair-Loehr and Robert Loehr.

Nina Newman has proposed to travel to Sweden to study and conduct research in public health. From Wichita, Newman will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in human biology and a minor in psychology. Her parents are Hanh Newman and James Newman.

Maya McDaniel has applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in Spain. From Denver, McDaniel will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in secondary history and government education. Her parents are Derren and Carol McDaniel.

Sydney Pritchard has applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in India. From Lawrence, Pritchard will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in linguistics. Her parents are Michael and Heidi Pritchard.

Melissa Terrall has proposed to travel to Mexico to study and conduct research in piano. From Portland, Oregon, Terrall graduated in 2022 with a master’s degree in piano performance. Her parents are Jeffrey and Valerie Terrall.

Aamer Uddin has proposed to travel to the United Kingdom to study and conduct research in entrepreneurship at University College London. Born in Detroit and raised in Olathe, Uddin earned a bachelor’s degree in 2021 in management and leadership and another one in 2022 in political science. His parents are Imtiaz and Tahseen Uddin.

Chloe VanBecelaere has applied to be an English Teaching Assistant in Colombia. From Pittsburg, VanBecelaere graduated in 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in global & international studies and Spanish. Her parent is Diane VanBecelaere.