Ten students and recent alumni from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Grants to pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad, recognizing their academic and professional accomplishments and leadership potential.
The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, is the United States’ flagship international academic exchange program. Approximately 8,000 graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from the United States and over 160 countries are recognized each year. Among other opportunities, Fulbright alumni have gone on to win prestigious awards like the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes and have served as heads of state and government.
“We believe transformative experiences such as internships, education abroad, service-learning and undergraduate research are fundamental to student success,” said Vice Provost for Student Success Amber Williams. “Our Fulbright recipients, through unparalleled international academic exchange, embody and advance this growth. We are grateful for the vital support of faculty, staff, friends and family who empower our scholars to thrive, both in their Fulbright journeys and beyond.”
In February, UT was named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for the seventh consecutive year. Including this year’s class, the university has supported more than 175 student Fulbright recipients since 1959.
Meet the recipients
Ryan Comley of Harrisburg, North Carolina, graduated this spring with a master’s degree in jazz studies. His Fulbright U.S. Student Grant will take him to the Czech Republic, where he will serve as an English teaching assistant at high schools in the towns of Trutnov and Úpice. He will also be working on a supplemental project to connect the communities through musical jam sessions.
“I am excited to learn about Czech culture while also sharing what I love about American culture, specifically when it comes to jazz and other forms of improvisational music,” said Comley.
Jonah Dittes of Gallatin, Tennessee, graduated this spring with a double major in German and linguistics. With the Fulbright Scholarship, he will be placed in a German secondary school to teach in English classrooms and plan some of his own lessons.
“I am honored to receive the Fulbright ETA award, which combines my passions and aspirations for the future,” said Dittes. “I look forward to spending a year in the country I’ve always felt drawn to while developing my skills as an educator.”
Camila Esquivel of Memphis graduated this spring with a degree in food science. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland with her Fulbright Scholarship, studying the physiological differences between the sexes in response to resistance training.
“I am truly humbled to receive a Fulbright award to be able to pursue my passions in advancing knowledge on women’s health and training protocols,” said Esquivel. “I am most excited to participate in meaningful cultural exchange and would like to thank my parents, professors and the URF staff for their endless support and patience throughout this entire process.”
Owen Grosserode of Johnson City, Tennessee, graduated in May after majoring in political science, economics and German with a minor in English. Grosserode will use his Fulbright Scholarship to work as an English teaching assistant in the German state of Northrhein-Westphalia.
“I’ve been learning German since I was in high school and have a passion for the English language and the education thereof, so being selected for a Fulbright ETA in Germany is a dream come true for me,” said Grosserode. “I’ve felt called towards a career in education for quite some time, and this will be an excellent way to test the waters before deciding what to do with the rest of my life.”
Raven Miller of Knoxville graduated in May 2024 with a degree in linguistics and a minor in sociology. With the Fulbright U.S. Student Grant she will travel to Kyrgyzstan to work as an English teaching assistant while furthering her knowledge of the Russian and Kyrgyz languages.
“When I first visited Kyrgyzstan two years ago through the Critical Language Scholarship Program, I felt like I had found a home away from home,” said Miller. “I feel honored to be able to teach my students about my own culture and native language, but also to get to learn from them about their culture and languages, as well.”
Konrad Szymanowski of Knoxville will graduate from UT in August with a master’s degree in German studies. The Fulbright U.S. Student Grant will allow him to conduct research at the University of Leipzig in Germany, analyzing how well efforts to revitalize the Sorbian language are working and identifying more effective solutions to reversing language loss through partnerships with Sorbian cultural organizations, governmental institutions and the community.
“It is an incredible honor to be selected for the Fulbright Award and personally validating to finally conduct hands-on research with renowned experts in the fields of language revitalization and linguistic anthropology,” said Szymanowski. “I am especially looking forward to learning from and working with the Sorbian community, whose struggle to retain their unique linguistic and cultural identity reflects the grim reality of the 21st century for millions of minoritized peoples around the world.”
David Taylor of Nolensville, Tennessee, graduated in May 2024 with a degree in biological sciences and a minor in public health. With the Fulbright Scholarship, Taylor will serve as a teaching assistant at Camilo José Cela University in Spain.
“I am so grateful and honored to have been selected for this award,” said Taylor. “I anticipate this being a truly transformative experience that reshapes the way I think about pedagogy and serves as invaluable preparation for my future career as an educator.”
Three students offered Fulbright U.S. Student Grants declined the awards.
“Fulbright is an important and necessary program that prepares UT undergraduates, graduate students and alumni for their futures through cross-cultural dialogue, international exchange and professional development,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “We are so proud of these students and alumni who are prepared to step onto the world stage and make a difference through their research, studies and teaching. We are also grateful for the support networks — faculty, staff, friends and family — who help our scholars succeed in Fulbright and beyond.”
Students and recent graduates interested in applying for a Fulbright U.S. Student Grant are encouraged to submit Undergraduate Research and Fellowships’ 2026-27 Fulbright interest form to learn more about the application process.
—
MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Palmer (865-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)