{"id":159178,"date":"2026-05-20T11:32:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T16:32:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=159178"},"modified":"2026-05-20T11:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T16:32:58","slug":"um-graduates-offered-chance-to-teach-study-through-fulbright-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/um-graduates-offered-chance-to-teach-study-through-fulbright-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"UM Graduates Offered Chance to Teach, Study Through Fulbright Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Seven alumni get opportunities to work in Bulgaria, Greece, Taiwan, more<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Fulbright U.S. Student Program<\/strong> has offered scholarships to seven <strong>University of Mississippi<\/strong> graduates to teach, study and conduct research across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/1\/62d038b93b2a9ad3219e7c51d6e80b35fd7cad8e41cdde704502bc91dbeb6b05?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fulbright U.S. Student Program<\/a>&nbsp;formally selected seven awardees from Ole Miss, bringing the university&#8217;s total recipients since 1950 to 80.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Our Fulbright awardees this year mark a major milestone for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/2\/532cfe18eeedb67da5f795b25995b51d17b18ad038f74c86322083b7dba65e1a?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">University of Mississippi<\/a>: we celebrated our 80th recipient, with 43 of those awards coming in just the past five years,&#8221; said <strong>Vivian Ibrahim<\/strong>, director of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/3\/64a3a140bdceeee72ca0cd75a6fcbf96e8dc64974d23e463004b58a623ea0f46?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Office of National Scholarship Advisement<\/strong><\/a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m especially proud of this cohort, as it&#8217;s the first time we&#8217;ve had more study and research awards than English Teaching Assistantships, which really speaks to the depth and ambition of our applicants.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The program offers opportunities for young&nbsp;professionals to teach, study or conduct research in more than 130 countries. This year&#8217;s UM awardees have options to travel to multiple host countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Rwanda and Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The awardees are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>John Henry Amburgy<\/strong>, a 2026 international studies and Chinese graduate from Ocean Springs, who was also selected for a\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/4\/e54fe2c580607c13086835909a06857818f2e704dacf327e7bbf12519c867412?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David L. Boren scholarship<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/5\/a929adb1022dab5b96e8ade299e7f297559e616f6e3c1480b9a8433ac03d81b2?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yenching Academy of Peking University Fellowship<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Harrison Dillard<\/strong>, a 2025 history graduate from Memphis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sydney Guntharp<\/strong>, a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/6\/c299cd2a8d63fea4f4578025a78ae0b5af43b9708e9076017732ed17a413de2c?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2026 political science and English graduate<\/a>\u00a0from Hernando<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sarah Hall<\/strong>, a 2024 graduate in Chinese from Madison<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Patrick McCay<\/strong>, a 2026 graduate in biology from Baton Rouge, Louisiana<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sam Sepe<\/strong>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/7\/688ddc40ae12fcde0597ffdb427d1938b0a29b425387c11e4295d148e82c304f?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a 2026 curriculum and instruction master&#8217;s program graduate<\/a>\u00a0from Pittsburgh<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Daniel Sloan<\/strong>, a 2026 economics graduate from Taylorville, Illinois.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-1024x573.jpg?resize=640%2C358&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-159180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C573&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C430&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C860&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1147&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright-2026-scaled.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The University of Mississippi&#8217;s 2026 Fulbright Scholars are (top, from left) Harrison Dillard, Sarah Hall and John Henry Amburgy, and (second row) Daniel Sloan, Sam Sepe, Sydney Guntharp and Patrick McCay. Submitted photos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Catherine Simpson<\/strong>, a 2026 graduate who majored in biology and Arabic, is a semifinalist for a study award in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of the seven recipients, five received study or research scholarships. Hall&#8217;s award will allow her to travel to Taiwan to earn a master&#8217;s degree in teaching Chinese as a second language. It will be her third time studying in Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;My decision to apply for Fulbright is directly rooted in my time spent as a student in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tracking.us.nylas.com\/l\/e7a57e716cba46279a389b208ab75cf7\/8\/d16e011615141fe113669e81424280d74a2e1f1aa08a6632c3878fba1d6be1cd?cache_buster=1779292308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chinese Language Flagship Program&nbsp;<\/a>here at Ole Miss,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;Through the program, I was not only able to develop professional language skills in Mandarin Chinese, but I was also blessed to study abroad in Taiwan twice: first for a summer program and then for an academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;My time in Taiwan left a lasting impact on me that has led me to continue to study Chinese here on a part-time status, and I have always had a strong desire to return to Taiwan someday.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hall said her long-term goal is to teach Chinese in an international high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Growing up, many of my friends were first-generation Asian Americans who did not have access to the resources to learn the language spoken by their families in a serious context,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I think language and cultural preservation is becoming more important as globalization continues, and I would like to learn more about the most effective way to&nbsp;facilitate language learning in diverse contexts.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guntharp and Sepe have the option to work as English teaching assistants in Bulgaria and Greece, respectively. Sepe said she plans to bring what she learns back to classrooms in Mississippi, where she hopes to become a leader in higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I believe the Fulbright Scholarship will help me succeed in the classroom in countless ways,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Through my teaching experiences in Mississippi, I developed the belief that authentic learning begins with relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Teaching in Greece will allow me to apply and strengthen this philosophy within an entirely new cultural and linguistic context, ultimately shaping me into a more adaptable, reflective and globally minded educator.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like any national award, the application process for the <strong>Fulbright Scholarship<\/strong> is long and sometimes arduous, Ibrahim said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;To see that effort translate into 24 applicants, 13 semifinalists and 7 awardees this year \u2013 with one more still pending \u2013 is incredibly rewarding,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We&#8217;re just so proud of what these students have accomplished and the global impact they&#8217;re poised to make.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Clara Turnage<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"25\" height=\"16\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg?resize=25%2C16\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14544\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seven alumni get opportunities to work in Bulgaria, Greece, Taiwan, more The Fulbright U.S. Student Program has offered<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123462,"featured_media":159179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[25263],"tags":[34761,34760,34763,34762,31012,34757,18030,34758,34759,25009,33075,34756,655,18029],"class_list":["post-159178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-university-news","tag-catherine-simpson","tag-daniel-sloan","tag-david-l-boren-scholarship","tag-fulbright-scholarship","tag-harrison-dillard","tag-john-henry-amburgy","tag-office-of-national-scholarship-advisement","tag-patrick-mccay","tag-sam-sepe","tag-sarah-hall","tag-sydney-guntharp","tag-the-fulbright-u-s-student-program","tag-university-of-mississippi","tag-vivian-ibrahim"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fulbright2026-2-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1434&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123462"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":159181,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159178\/revisions\/159181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}