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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2004
CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu
DRAKE UNIVERSITY RANKS AMONG TOP PRODUCERS
OF FULBRIGHT AWARDS FOR STUDENTS IN 2004-05
Two students from Drake University won Fulbright Awards in 2004-05 and Drake ranked among the top producers of Fulbright awards for students among the nation's master's universities.
Secretary of State Colin Powell recently released the official list of U.S. student Fulbright grantees for the 2004-2005 academic year, a total of 1,099 grants. In his statement, Secretary Powell said, “As Fulbrighters, these Americans have important responsibilities. First and foremost, they engage in serious academic study or research abroad. In addition, they will immerse themselves in learning about their new host country and will have opportunities to share their perspectives on the United States with their hosts."
The Fulbright competition is administered at Drake through The Drake Fulbright
Committee.
"The committee is excited about these results!" said Eleanor Zeff,
Drake Fulbright program adviser and assistant professor of politics and international
relations. "We are happy to be able to make Fulbright scholarships more
available to Drake students as we know what wonderful opportunities they provide
for them. On Oct. 15 we forwarded five completed and excellent applications
for next year's round of scholarships, and we are hoping for continued success.
Three other students also began and worked on applications this summer and fall.
This number of applicants is a record high for Drake."
Under the Fulbright Program, 1,100 American students in 104 different fields of study have been offered grants to study, teach English, and conduct research in over 110 countries throughout the world, beginning this fall.
Two women who graduated from Drake last December received Fulbright awards for 2004-05. They are Shalene Breci of Sioux City, Iowa, who is teaching English in South Korea for 13 months, and Mira Yusef of Des Moines, who is conducting research on Muslim women in The Philippines.
Out of the 1,099 Fulbrighters nationwide, 269 will be studying at the Ph.D. degree level, 196 at the master's, and 635 at the bachelor’s degree level. Students receiving awards for this academic year applied through 550 different colleges or universities.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program equips future American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in increasingly global environment by providing funding for one academic year of study or research abroad, to be conducted after graduation from an accredited university.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Financial support is provided by an annual appropriation from Congress to the Department of State, with significant contributions from participating governments and host institutions in the United States and abroad. The presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board formulates policy guidelines and makes the final selection of all grantees.
American teachers and faculty also receive Fulbright grants to do research, lecture and teach overseas. In addition, some 2,200 foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study, carry out research and lecture at U.S. universities, colleges and secondary schools.
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Note to News Media: Detailed lists of the U.S. student Fulbright Awards for 2004-05 are available by home state, field of study and host country at www.iie.org/fulbright (click on "News & Publicity" and then "Fellows by Home Institution and At-Large Candidates"). Also on the News and Publicity page are charts showing institutions producing the highest numbers of Fulbrighters, ranked by Carnegie Classification and also by U.S. region.