Awards and Rankings
February 25, 2025
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recognized the University of Portland (UP) as one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Fulbright Top Producing Institutions such as UP value global connection and support members of their campus communities across the United States to pursue international opportunities.
Six students from UP were selected for Fulbright awards in the 2024-25 academic year. Four graduates of UP’s Class of 2024 were joined by two recent alumni chosen to serve as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in Germany, Greece, the Slovak Republic, and Taiwan.
Fulbright recognized 103 institutions as Top Producers of accepted applicants to the U.S. Student Program. UP ranked second among nine schools honored in the master’s degree institution category. This marked the first time since 2020-21 that UP earned the distinction as a Top Producing Fulbright Institution.
“We are thrilled that UP has once again been recognized as a Top Producer of Fulbright award students,” said University President Robert D. Kelly, PhD. “The globally engaged Pilots selected for Fulbright awards in the 2024-25 academic year will have a tremendous impact on the communities they serve—and will themselves gain so much from this experience. We look forward to seeing many more of our students receive this prestigious honor.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad.
In 2024, these six UP graduates were selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program:
"Congratulations and thank you to these amazing students for representing University of Portland and the U.S. in this important ambassadorial work,” said Cara Hersh, PhD, UP’s Fulbright program adviser and Assistant Provost of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement & Career Readiness. “This prestigious recognition is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and academic excellence and to the opportunities available to them at our University. This recognition will, I hope, inspire future students to follow in their footsteps.”
In 2024, UP began offering academic credit for students who apply for Fulbrights. Hersh said the one-credit offering inspires more students to go through a lengthy application process. Students who apply and receive this credit participate in networking, peer review, and research about their host country.
“It’s a great way to encourage more students to try for a Fulbright scholarship, and it reflects how the application process itself is an incredible learning opportunity,” Hersh said.
For the current Fulbright cycle (2025-26), the University had 22 students apply, with 12 currently awaiting word as program semifinalists. The next Fulbright cycle opens March 31. Interested students can visit the Fulbright Program's website to learn more and should reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement to get started on their application.
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