Top row (left to right): Fulbright Finalists Ikrom Alajoulin, Zariah Brown, Rosana Gutierrez and Kaitlyn Salyer. Bottom row (left to right): Finalists Alexandra St Tellien and Kasia Wiech, and alternates Priya Amilineni, Julia Paoli
CLAS Students and Alumni Named Fulbright Finalists for 2021-22
The University of Florida has announced the Fulbright U.S. Student Program finalists and alternates for the 2021-2022 academic year. Of the nine finalists and four alternates, six finalists and two alternates were from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The competitive program allows students to study, research and teach abroad in an effort to build relationships across nations. Fulbright’s mission is to facilitate mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations through these personal connections.
The 2021-2022 application cycle saw a record high of 11,728 applicants. The recipients will join a group of acclaimed alumni, many of whom have become leaders in their fields after receiving the award.
These are the six CLAS finalists among those selected:
- Ikrom Alajoulin ’21, BA in criminology, BA in sociology, granted an English Teaching Assistant award in Brazil
- Zariah Brown, Honors grad and BA political science, BA sociology ’21 granted an English Teaching Assistant award in Brazil
- Rosana Gutierrez ‘19, a linguistics and political science major granted an English Teaching Assistant award in Argentina
- Kaitlyn Salyer ‘21, Honors grad and international studies/philosophy double major granted an English Teaching Assistant award in Tajikistan
- Alexandra St Tellien ‘20, psychology/linguistics double major granted an English Teaching Assistant award in Côte d’Ivoire
- Kasia Wiech ‘20, physics major awarded a research grant at the University of Warsaw in Poland
Two alternates are affiliated with the college:
- Priya Amilineni ’19, political science major, alternate for graduate study in the UK
- Julia Paoli ’21, Honors student, microbiology and cell sciences major, alternate for graduate study in the UK
The finalists will use the skills acquired from the college to foster connection and share knowledge abroad. Alexandra St Tellien, a psychology and linguistics double major, was inspired by working with the college’s English Language Institute; now, she will educate women and girls in the West African country of Côte d’Ivoire. “I know that I will gain more cultural awareness and understanding, and as an aspiring educator, cultural competence is key,” she said in an announcement from the Honors Program.
CLAS extends congratulations to the six finalists and two alternates affiliated with the college for this impressive accomplishment.
