Six students and one recent alum were recently awarded Fulbright student awards. Five were selected for English Teaching Assistant Awards and two were selected for Research/Study Awards.
Learn more about them here:
Alexandra Baldwin ’20 – ETA in Greece
Majors: Political Science and English
Minor: Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Activities: Senior Admissions interviewer, Writing Center coordinator and fellow, Pre-Law Society, Campus Kitchens, Messa House (former co-chair), C.O.C.O.A. House, Accommodative Services Note Taker, Heritage Home for Women, Gamma Phi Beta, Omicron Delta Kappa and Ireland term abroad.
Sophia Foster ’20 – ETA in Vietnam
Major: Biology
Minor: English
Activities: Supplemental Instructor (English), Big Brothers Big Sisters president, Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson (certified crisis counselor), Kenney Community Center Homework Help, Scholars Program, summer research, Hospice volunteer and study abroad in Vietnam.
Savannah Jelks ’20 – ETA in Bulgaria
Major: History
Minor: Law and Humanities
Activities: Senior Admissions interviewer, editor-in-chief of The Idol, C.O.C.O.A. House, Bhangra Union, Girls of the Run, tour guide, New York State Museum intern, Gamma Phi Beta and Ireland term abroad.
Meghan Reilly ’20 – ETA in Taiwan
Major: Classics and Chinese
Minor: Economics
Activities: Writing Center fellow and Conversation Groups coordinator, Accommodative Services mentor, AOP Summer English tutor and community advisor, summer research, Special Olympics intern, Minerva Council, Classics Club, Concordiensis, Garnet Society, Kenney Community Center Homework Help, AAUW, Ancient Language Table, Scholars program, ASIA Network Freeman Student-Faculty Fellows Program and study abroad in China.
Oumou Zakaria ’19 – ETA in Germany
Major: French and German (interdepartmental)
Minor: Mathematics
Activities: German Language mentor, founder and president of African Dance Club, African Students Association, German Club, term abroad to Germany and mini-terms to Senegal and Spain.
Fulbright Research/Study
Hayden Paneth ’20 – Chemistry Research in Germany
Major: Chemistry
Minor: German
Activities: Chemistry Club, German Club, Improv, summer research, DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) in Germany and study abroad to Germany.
Fulbright Project Title: “Synthesis and Characterization of New IV/V Organic-Inorganic Metal Halide Perovskites”
Project Abstract: “For the Fulbright research award I have chosen a project that will increase the efficiency in how we collect solar power. As a Fulbrighter, I would work in the Heine research group at the Phillips Universtät Marburg. My project would involve exploring the stability of lead halide perovskites, specifically hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites. These are the newest development in solar cell materials improving on previous chemicals' heat tolerance and light-absorbing properties to make for more efficient solar cells. During my 10 month stay in Germany I will work on improving long-term stability of these metal halide perovskites. Adding Bismuth to perovskites, either as a dopant or in material composites, stabilizes them in highly efficient solar cells. Lab research must be conducted to determine the structure of the stabilized lead halide perovskites and to characterize them using high tech instrumentation available in the Heine Laboratory.”
Cameron Bechtold – Graduate Study in Finland
Major: Environmental Science
Minor: Science, Technology, and Medicine in Culture
Activities: Campus Kitchens president, Environmental Club, class vice president, Wold House Council, Union College Pride, Australia term abroad and Washington D.C. and community service mini-terms
Fulbright Award: Fulbright-University of Helsinki Graduate Award for a master’s program in environmental change and global sustainability
Graduate Study Abstract: “The program is designed for students with an interest in understanding how humans are altering the environment, and how the planet is adapting. For this reason, it is the perfect next step before pursuing my Ph.D. in urban ecology. By being a part of this program, I will begin to connect the various ways that humans are impacting the environment to the subsequent societal effects and policy that could improve these outcomes. Now, over half of the world's population lives in an urban area, but I do not believe that living in a city should restrict one's access to green space. It is my goal to understand the way cities are altering the environment and how we can mitigate this impact as well as improve city dwelling.”