A Shared Mission to Ignite Change
A record-breaking 33 Villanovans—from undergraduate, graduate, law and doctoral programs—earned Fulbright U.S. Student Grants for 2019–2020, part of a select group chosen for the State Department’s premier international exchange program.
Why are Villanovans so well-suited for the Fulbright program? We believe there is a synergy between the University’s Augustinian Catholic mission and the purpose of a Fulbright. Villanovans are called to ignite change around the world, and Fulbright recipients are chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential to study, research, teach English and engage with communities in more than 160 countries across the globe. The crossover is powerful.
In just the past five years, more than 100 Villanova graduates have received Fulbright U.S. Student Grants to be academic and cultural ambassadors in dozens of countries. Many Villanova faculty have also been selected—based on their academic achievements and leadership in their fields—for Fulbright grants to teach and conduct research abroad.
The very promise that Villanova makes to all of our students aligns closely with the Fulbright mission. We promise students an educational experience that emphasizes mentorship and encompasses academic excellence, strong community, personal attention, service to others and a foundation for lifelong success.
Even the process leading up to their selection as Fulbright grantees reinforces this commitment. Dedicated staff members in Villanova’s Center for Research and Fellowships offer invaluable guidance; faculty who are teachers, mentors and research partners help prepare each student for this rigorous program; and administrators and staff engage with students to polish their essays and guide them through the complex application process.
Villanovans have also received critical community support as they’ve earned other prestigious scholarships and fellowships, including Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Goldwater, Mitchell, Gates-Cambridge and Knight-Hennessy.
These experiences of pursuing Fulbright grants and other national scholarship programs reflect the core of our promise to all Villanova students—that an entire community will stand behind them, in finding their passion and following any path they choose.