The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has recognized Colorado College for the second consecutive year for being a Fulbright Top Producing Institution. Colleges and universities that receive this honor have the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which provides funding for international opportunities.

Six applicants from CC were selected for Fulbright awards for academic year 2023-2024. Roy Jo Sartin, the Fulbright Program Adviser at CC, couldn’t be more thrilled.

"I hope this honor and the stories of these six winners – Kayla Fratt '15 (research Kenya), Samson Heyer '23(English teaching Algeria), Jasmine Linder '23 (arts Brazil), Sophie Ramirez '17 (English teaching Jordan), Maddie Schink '23 (English teaching Colombia), and Mariel Zech '23 (English teaching Taiwan) – will inspire more people to see themselves as potential Fulbrighters and to apply for the program."

This is the third time CC has made the list of Fulbright Top Producing Institutions; in both 2019 and 2022, four student grantees from CC were selected. There are currently 12 CC students and alumni who are semi-finalists for the 2024 Fulbright. Those awardees will be announced later this spring. Here are more takeaways from this year's Fulbright release:

• CC's six winners puts us on par this year with Vassar, Wesleyan, and Bard College, and ahead of Grinnell and Bryn Mawr, among others.  
• CC is the top baccalaureate-level producer in Colorado.  The only other baccalaureate-level school in Colorado to win Fulbrights was the U.S. Air Force Academy, with four.
• CC's six winners tied with CU Boulder (as a PhD-granting institution) for the most numbers of Fulbrights in the state, ahead of these other PhD-level institutions: DU (5), CSU (4), and UCCS (1). 

“I am so proud of our students and alumni, once again, for making Colorado College a Top Producing Fulbright Institution,” said L. Song Richardson, President of Colorado College. “At CC, we prepare students to challenge their own perspectives and engage in complex problem-solving around global issues. Every year, I am impressed by the projects our Fulbright grantees take on, knowing this is only the beginning of the impact they will make in the world.”

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. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.

“CC students are often brave and unconventional in their unique learning goals and visions, and I think that adventurousness serves them well when they apply for the competitive national Fulbright Awards,” added Heather Powell Browne, Assistant Director of Global Education at CC. “Roy Jo Sartin is a massive asset to these students as she works with them to shape their big and bold ideas into often-winning Fulbright applications. It is also a consistent joy to get to serve on the Campus Fulbright Committee which interviews our applicants, to hear them talk about their ideas, their curiosities, and how they will represent Colorado College and the United States in another part of the world for their Fulbright year.”

Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. 

Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors, and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United State and the people of other countries.  

“Colorado College’s ability to provide access to remarkable international opportunities such as the Fulbright is invaluable,” said Chelsea Walter, Director of the Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. “Colorado College students understand that a Fulbright can be an invaluable opportunity to deeply explore the benefits of diversity and cultural exchange, and to see so many apply and secure fellowships is truly remarkable.”

Applicants to Fulbright at Colorado College are supported by campus adviser Roy Jo Sartin. For more information about the Fulbright resources offered at CC, click on the Scholarships and Grants page, which includes requirements and application deadlines.