Five selected as Fulbright finalists

Five University of North Georgia (UNG) students and alumni were selected as finalists for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2022-23 academic year. The highly competitive and prestigious program enables graduates to pursue research activities, teach English abroad, or enroll in graduate school.

"UNG students’ capacity for global leadership, honed here at UNG, continues to open doors for great opportunities like the Fulbright," Dr. Anastasia Lin, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and director of the Nationally Competitive Scholarships (NCS) office, said.

This year UNG had 13 named Fulbright semifinalists and five of those have now been named finalists, joining a long list which began in 2015:  

UNG students’ capacity for global leadership, honed here at UNG, continues to open doors for great opportunities like the Fulbright.

Dr. Anastasia Lin

UNG's assistant vice president for academic affairs and director of the nationally competitive scholarships office

• Colin Tredway, a summer 2020 graduate with a degree in history, will teach English in Germany.

Tredway also has been selected as UNG's first Humanity in Action (HIA) fellow. HIA fellows are funded to start a month of immersive studies in a host city before implementing a community-focused action project in their country. Tredway was selected to participate in the Copenhagen program entitled "Unity of the Realm and Human Rights," which explores how Denmark's unique political position affects its human rights. His project focuses on food insecurity in Dawsonville, Georgia. HIA has agreed to work with Tredway so he can do both the Fulbright and HIA.

To apply for an HIA fellowship, an individual undergoes a rigorous process including multiple essays, a short video, and a video interview.

"I am proud of Colin’s ability to ensure that both opportunities will work together. His success is underwritten by his resilience, persistence, and logistical skills," Dr. Victoria Hightower, NCS assistant director and professor of history, said.  

Anderson said the Fulbright process was daunting but well worth the time and effort. The writing process began with an eight-week boot camp that started in the middle of summer and ran until application submission in October.

"It can be very daunting. It can be time-consuming. It can be nerve-wracking," Anderson said. “However, at the end of the day, it is an incredibly rewarding experience whether or not you make it as a semifinalist, a finalist, or even an alternate."

Nash said she applied out of curiosity about the Taiwanese system of education.

"In the last 10 years there has been huge growth in the number of people attending higher education," Nash said. "This made me wonder how their education system differs from ours and what is contributing to this educational growth. I thought, 'What better way to find out than to be a part of a Taiwanese classroom?'"