WKU News

Seven WKU students and recent graduates have been recognized as Semi-Finalists in the 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds an academic year of research, study, creative work, or English teaching for more than 2,000 grantees annually in more than 140 countries worldwide.  

During the previous application cycle, 11,000 graduating seniors and recent graduates nationwide submitted applications that were evaluated by panels of American university faculty based on academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields. Additional evaluation committees at American embassies and Fulbright Commissions worldwide will select Finalists throughout the spring and notify on a rolling basis. Once Finalists accept their awards, they are designated Fulbright Grantees or Fulbright Students. 

WKU’s Semi-Finalists for the 2026-2027 award year are: 

Brent Andrews (’19 Nursing), who applied for a Fulbright research award in Taiwan to study the efficacy and implementation of dengue screening protocols as a part of the master’s degree program in Global Health at National Taiwan University. 

Reece Gillespie (’23 Chinese, International Business), who applied for an English Teaching Assistant award to Taiwan.

Kate Hart (’17 International Affairs, Asian Religions and Cultures, ‘21 Public Policy), who applied for a Fulbright research award in the United Kingdom to study how drought patterns and water insecurity intersect with human displacement as a part of the master’s program in Geographic Data Science and Spatial Analytics at the University of Bristol.

Htee Shee Paw (‘25 Corporate & Organizational Communication, Professional Legal Studies), who applied for an English Teaching Assistant award to Thailand. 

Priscilla Riggs (’26 English, Marketing), who applied for an English Teaching Assistant award to South Korea.

Aurora Speltz (’24 Spanish, International Affairs, and Asian Religions and Cultures), who applied for an English Teaching Assistant award to Jordan.

One semi-finalist has declined public recognition and is therefore not listed.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program applicants develop their project ideas and application materials with Anna Mayo, WKU’s Fulbright Program Advisor, well in advance of the national deadline in early October. The process itself, a period of exploration, drafting, and revision that can extend over several weeks or months, rewards all applicants as they gain experience conceptualizing and developing their intellectual interests and passion for cross-cultural connection into tangible opportunities. 

The next application cycle opens March 31, 2026, and WKU’s campus deadline for the 2027-2028 award year is September 1, 2026. Students and recent alumni interested in learning more can register their interest here and stay tuned to @wku_osd on Instagram for additional information from the Office of Scholar Development. 

About the Fulbright Program: The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to forge lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, counter misunderstandings, and help people and nations work together toward common goals. Since its establishment in 1946, the Fulbright Program has enabled more than 450,000 dedicated and accomplished students, scholars, artists, teachers, and professionals of all backgrounds to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and find solutions to shared international concerns.

About the Office of Scholar Development: OSD mentors students applying for nationally competitive scholarships for “academic extras” such as study abroad, research, professional experience, and more. From first drafts to final submissions with multiple revisions in between, OSD helps students make more possible. By conceptualizing and revising the stories they tell in application essays and interviews, students better understand their strengths, interests, and purpose — and explore multiple possible pathways to that work. 

Contact: Anna Mayo, anna.mayo@wku.edu