ASU was named a top producer of Fulbright award winners, placing seventh among public universities for student awards, making this the 11th consecutive year ASU has placed within the top 20.
During the 2020-21 academic year, ASU tied for 13th in faculty scholar awards. Eight ASU faculty received grants and 18 of 71 students who applied received an award.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individual international study, research or other teaching assistant programs, according to its website.
This isn't the first time ASU has ranked well in these categories; the University typically collects multiple Fulbright awards.
Kyle Mox, associate dean for national scholarships advisement and director of the Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement, said ASU is "one of only 10 universities in the country that (is a) top performer in both categories."
Mox's office works with 50 to 85 applicants each year. Students begin the application process in March, but it isn't due until October, Mox said. The application requires several letters of recommendation, a portfolio, foreign language evaluation, transcripts and a statement of grant purpose.
"It's about work ethic, too," he said. "It's a difficult application process."
Fulbright alumnus Connor Baskin, now a career counselor at W. P. Carey Career Management and Employer Engagement, said ASU's support throughout the process helped him. Through Fulbright, he traveled to Germany to teach English in September 2016.
"I think it's a mindful investment in producing Fulbright scholars," Baskin said.
He said ongoing success can be accredited to the energy generated by ASU's large size.
"When you really sink into the larger ASU ecosystem, you realize, 'Wow, I really can do anything, and if I want to, ASU will support me the whole way through,'" he said.
Tatum James, a recent ASU graduate, was one of the Fulbright award winners for the 2020-21 academic year, where she was set to complete an English Teaching Assistantship in North Macedonia. Her trip was postponed due to COVID-19.
James said she believes ASU's dedication to Fulbright is due in part to its "commitment to sort of turn ASU's reputation around and it's working, in my opinion."
The University's global connections also contribute to its rankings, she said.
"We just have a really great, diverse candidate pool and that also has to do with why so many of ASU's students are winning these fellowships," James said. "ASU is just a very global campus."
Baskin and James said the support of ONSA and the resources it offers students leads to ASU's Fulbright success each year.
"I would say all the credit, besides the students being great, is really because of Dr. Mox and his team," James said.
Reach the reporter at idortch@asu.edu and follow @bellinilane on Twitter.
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