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USCB Recognized for Fulbright Awards

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Hard work at the University of South Carolina Beaufort paid off recently when USCB again won recognition as a top producer of Fulbright awards.

Despite USCB's small size, the university has made many successful bids to the Fulbright Commission—including last year’s application by Theodora Light, who won USCB’s first student Fulbright award.

Light, who graduated in May 2020 with a B.A. in History and Spanish, is conducting research at the University of Sevilla and at the General Archives of the Indies of Sevilla. She is studying the overlap of indigenous slavery (of Indians) and African slavery by early Spanish settlers in the area called La Florida in the 16th century.

Dr. Juanita Babet Villena-Alvarez, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, oversees USCB’s International Programs Committee, which includes a Fulbright Advisory Sub-Committee offering guidance to faculty, staff and students who are interested in applying for these prestigious awards.

 “A national ranking with Fulbright indicates excellence in international education. USCB may not be a big institution, yet we still strive to provide our students with quality globalized education and learning. Moving forward, we aim to prepare more faculty and students to qualify for these opportunities,” she said.

USCB’s history with the Fulbright program began almost 10 years ago, when Dr. Lynn McGee began the process of introducing USCB —a new university that was not on Fulbright’s radar in S.C.—to the organization’s state commission. McGee went on to be the first USCB employee to earn a Fulbright award and is now Vice President of the South Carolina Fulbright Association.

In 2016, shortly after the first Fulbright representative visited USCB, mathematics professor Dr. Bud Sanders earned USCB's first Fulbright Scholar Award. He taught and conducted research at Tampere University of Technology in Finland during the 2017-18 academic year.

As it grew, USCB was able to hire faculty who had received Fulbright grants while working at larger institutions.

In addition to Chancellor Al M. Panu, Villena-Alvarez, McGee, Sanders and Light, others from USCB community who have received Fulbright awards include faculty members Dr. Cindy Lahar, Dr. Kimberly Cavanagh and Dr. Lisa Ciresi.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program of the United States. Participants represent the U.S. as cultural ambassadors, helping to enhance mutual understanding between nations while they teach, research, do professional projects and attend seminars abroad. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists.

Check out USCB’s recognition as a top producer of Fulbright Awards at: https://topproducing.fulbrightonline.org/top-producing-institutions-by-year