Awards and Rankings
April 25, 2023
University of Portland Senior Lauren Banks has been selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to advance her Environmental Sciences studies in France for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.
Banks, a double major in Biology and French Studies from Santa Cruz, Calif., spent the 2022 fall semester studying abroad in Nantes, France. After graduating from the University this spring, Banks will pursue a master’s degree at the École normale supérieure de Rennes in Bruz, France.
Her research will focus on exploring the connection between the water cycle and soil microbes in forest ecosystems.
"I am honored to receive a Fulbright grant, and I intend to embrace my passion for ecological conservation in efforts to combat climate change and to ensure the prosperity of our environment,” Banks said.
The Fulbright Program — the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program — is supported by the United States and partner countries around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
Twelve University of Portland students received Fulbright English Teaching Awards between 2020 and 2022. Banks is the first UP student in this decade to earn a highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to study and conduct research overseas.
“Lauren’s incredible academic abilities in biology and environmental studies, along with her commitment to intercultural awareness and learning, will make her a powerful representative for both the University of Portland and the United States,” said Cara Hersh, UP’s Assistant Provost of Scholarly Engagement and Career Readiness. “As an FGEN student, Lauren has already accomplished so much, and I can’t wait to hear about her next adventures.”
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and professional achievement, and record of service. Their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of accomplished Fulbright alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows and 41 who have served as a head of state or government.
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