UA Students Offered U.S. Fulbright Program Awards for 2025-2026

Miriam Anderson, of Birmingham, was offered a Fulbright grant to research Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, through her project, “The Rhythm of Healing: Understanding the Body through Dance.” Her grant allows her to study at Ganesa Natyalaya under the tutelage of renowned artist Vidushi Rama Vaidyanathan. Anderson was a May 2025 magna cum laude graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in creative media with a minor in the Blount Scholars Program. 

Bianca McCarty, of Madison, Mississippi, graduated magna cum laude in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in the Blount Scholars Program. Bianca was selected for a Fulbright award to research “The Role of a Plant-based Diet in Combating Neurodegenerative Disease” at the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria.

Michael Zengel, of New Orleans, was offered a Fulbright Award to research, “Ultrafast Probing of Spintronic Capabilities of Heusler Alloys,” at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany. Zengel was a May 2025 summa cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics and minors in French and the Randall Research Scholars Program.

Sophia Akhtar, of Vestavia Hills, was a 2025 summa cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in international studies with a German minor, along with a master’s degree in public administration. She has been selected to teach English in Germany.

Morgan Byerley was a May 2025 summa cum laude Honors College graduate. She earned her bachelor’s degree in international studies with minors in German and English. She was selected to teach English in South Korea.

Kyla Collins, of Springfield, Ohio, graduated summa cum laude with her bachelor’s degrees in May 2025 as a double major in mathematics and public health, and a minor in the Blount Scholars Program. An Honors College graduate and current student in the Accelerated Master’s Program, she was a member of Pi Mu Epsilon and Alpha Omega Epsilon. Kyla was selected to teach English in Thailand.

Lyn Coupland-Lowery, of Duncanville, is part of the Accelerated Master’s Program in German. Lyn graduated summa cum laude with their bachelor’s degree in German and educational methods in December 2024. Coupland-Lowery is a member of the Delta Phi Alpha German honor’s society. They have been selected to teach English in Germany.

Katie Jewell, of Fairhope, earned a Master of Arts in quantitative economics this past May, summa cum laude, having previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in international studies and economics with a minor in Russian, also summa cum laude from UA. During her time at UA, she served as the president of the Russian and Slavic Cultures Club and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. Jewell was selected to teach English in Moldova.

Emma Mural, of McHenry, Illinois, was a May 2025 magna cum laude Honors College graduate, and member of the Sigma Tau Delta and Delta Phi Alpha Honors Societies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and German, with a minor in liberal arts through the Blount Scholars Program. Mural was selected to teach English in Germany.

Bree Patzke, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was a May 2025 summa cum laude Honors College graduate and member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. She earned her master’s degree in public administration through the Accelerated Master’s Program and bachelor’s degree in political science, with minors in public policy and Spanish. She was selected to teach English in the Czech Republic.

Alicia Pearson, of Frankfort, Illinois, graduated with her bachelor’s degrees in May 2024 as a double major in civil engineering and Spanish, and a minor in architectural engineering. She graduated in May 2025 through the Accelerated Master’s Program in civil engineering with a concentration in structural engineering and was also a student-athlete on the women’s rowing team. Alicia was selected to teach English in Taiwan.

Bennett Ogle, of Farragut, Tennessee, will be an August 2025 summa cum laude Honors College graduate. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society, Blackburn Institute and the inaugural class of Shelby Scholars. He will receive a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics, master’s degree in quantitative economics, and a graduate certificate in museum studies. Bennett was selected to teach English in Latvia.

Logann Shorter, of Dothan, earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in psychology from Auburn University at Montgomery as a summa cum laude graduate in 2023, followed by a Master of Arts in teaching English to speakers of other languages from UA. Currently, she is an ESL instructor at the UA’s English Language Institute. Before serving as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, she plans to study abroad as a Critical Language Scholarship finalist in Busan, South Korea. Logann was selected to teach English in South Korea.