Four Linfield graduating seniors have been selected for Fulbright grants, with two students selected for Udall and Boren scholarships.
Twenty Linfield students have been named Fulbright scholars since 1999.
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS
Ashley Ann Bennett has been selected for a Fulbright scholarship to teach English in Mainz, Germany. The economics and German major will work at a high school geared toward students interested in careers in business and economics. Bennett, who served as president of the Linfield German Club, hopes to broaden her understanding of German culture while sharing her perspective on American culture.
Krista Foltz will conduct math research at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile, analyzing the effect that stereotypes have on female math students in secondary classrooms. The math and education major will administer a survey and conduct interviews to identify behavioral trends that reinforce or discourage negative educational stereotypes, with a goal of helping to address underachievement and gender disparity in mathematics.
Lily Niland will conduct original linguistics research in Peru. She will analyze how Japanese residents in Peru use Spanish and how the two languages intersect. Niland, who majored in intercultural communication and minored in Spanish and Japanese, wants to blend her passion for both languages in her research. She will study at a site where people speak both languages.
Brett Tolman will teach English in Sri Lanka for a year. He hopes to inspire students to think critically about issues such as educational development and environmental protection, and hopes to eventually work as a community organizer, promoting social and economic policies that place human dignity — starting with the alleviation of poverty — at the forefront.
The Fulbright Program funds study, research and teaching abroad in an effort to increase mutual understanding and empathy between nations. Scholars are selected based on academic merit and leadership potential.
UDALL SCHOLAR
Junior David Kellner-Rode is the first Linfield student to receive one of 80 Udall Foundation scholarships in the U.S. The scholarship is given to students who demonstrate a commitment to careers focused on promoting environmental sustainability. The environmental policy major co-founded the Linfield Bicycle Co-Op, co-created the college sustainability fund and served as president of Greenfield, a Linfield student environmental organization. After graduate study, he would like to help develop environmental policy with a nonprofit organization.
BOREN SCHOLAR
Sophomore Leah Sedy has been selected for a Boren scholarship to study in Kyoto, Japan, at the Center for Japanese Language and Culture at Doshisha University. The international student program offers courses in Japanese language, history, culture and international studies, and Sedy will study in Japanese. Language majors are required to spend a year studying in the country where their chosen language is spoken. Boren Fellowships support the study of less commonly taught languages.
History instructor Deborah Olsen is the competitive scholarships advisor and mentor.
