June 2025: Andrew Bonner , a computer science major with concentrations in cybersecurity and data analytics, was recently notified that he has been awarded the AFCEA Stem Majors Scholarship. He will receive funding for tuition and a one-year student membership to AFCEA.
Andrew hopes to one day become a Chief Information Security Officer. In addition to his coursework, he is completing an internship with the Office of Information Security Services on campus, where he performs threat analysis and conducts research on emerging and current network security. He has also served as a teaching assistant for lower-level computer science courses; is the founder and vice president of the Computer Science Collective; and is currently in the role of president of Iota Phi Theta at Ball State.
Andrew remembers that his relationship with computing began as a child when he built his first computer. Then, he became intrigued by cybersecurity: “I realized cybersecurity isn’t just one thing; it’s a collection of many interconnected domains. I began to focus my research on penetration testing and ethical hacking. Being able to conduct offensive security operations against a client’s program or service felt incredibly exciting—it caused a spark even more electrifying than I had experienced through building computers.”
The AFCEA STEM Majors Scholarship provides funding to impressive students in fields related to the mission of the AFCEA, which aims to advance global security by facilitating connections and sharing knowledge between the military, government, industry, and academia. Computer science and cybersecurity are specifically named as eligible fields for this scholarship.
June 2025: We have news from the Fulbright program! ONCS could not be prouder to announce that there are six Fulbright U.S. Student Program awardees and one alternate from Ball State University this year. The Fulbright Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and was designed to aid in the mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries, to promote world peace through education and understanding. Fulbrighters go abroad for 10-12 months for fully-funded experiences.
Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) awards send recipients abroad to teach English, and Fulbright Study awards send recipients abroad to pursue degrees at international universities. We have awardees in each category.
Fulbright ETA Awardees and Alternates:
Megan Lutes just graduated with an M.A. in English studies. She previously completed a bachelor’s degree at Ball State in fashion as a member of the Honors College. She will be teaching English in South Korea!
Megan has long enjoyed Korean pop culture and is excited to learn more about daily life and traditions in South Korea. She says, “I am most looking forward to experiencing a new country and culture, not in the way that a tourist would, but by fully living and working and immersing myself there.”
In her teaching in South Korea, Megan will build on her experiences as an elementary school tutor, Fashion Teaching Assistant, and English Graduate Teaching Assistant, as well as her formal teacher training at Ball State University and Teaching English as a Foreign Language coursework. After school hours, Megan intends to draw on her undergraduate experiences as a fashion major to host an extracurricular fashion club. She explains: “Students will engage in activities such as making collages from magazines, drawing fashion figures, and developing upcycling projects, such as weaving old t-shirts into coasters.” Megan might also help lead English camps during school breaks.
Megan is hopeful that her ETA experiences may lead to further career opportunities in teaching or fashion in South Korea beyond her Fulbright year.
Hannah Hendrian graduated in May with a major in elementary education and a concentration in language arts. She was a student of the Honors College. Hannah will be teaching English in Athens, Greece!
Hannah looks forward to exploring her new home. She says, “I am also fascinated by Greek culture, specifically its emphasis on philoxenia and academia. I grew up surrounded by selfless hospitality in my 100+-person extended family, and I love to host and care for people. I hope to share in the traditions of philoxenia with the Greeks that I meet and participate in a cross-cultural exchange as a Fulbright grantee. I also find learning to be a privilege, so I would love to visit places like the Parthenon, Plato’s Academy Ancient Gymnasium Ruins, and the School Life and Education Museum to learn about Greek history, philosophers, and education.”
The program increase will require Hannah to teach English, lead an extracurricular forensics club, and act as a camp counselor during the summer. Hannah is up for the challenge! She explains, ”Working as an ETA would allow me to apply what I have learned from my elementary education major, my concentration in language arts, and my TEFL training. The program in Greece specifically appeals to me because I have extensive experience working with children as a camp counselor, daycare worker, religious education teacher, and vocal director at a children’s theater, all of which will ensure my success in the classroom and as a leader of the Forensics Club and Athens College’s English Summer Camp. Additionally, the active lifestyle required of ETAs in Greece fits my way of life, as I have always thrived on a busy schedule including activities like theater, marching band, and work.”
Her experiences as an ETA will inform Hannah’s teaching when she returns to the United States.
Sarah Olsen graduated in May with a journalism and political science major with concentrations in international studies and news writing and reporting and a minor in French. She was also a student of the Honors College. Sarah will be teaching English in Cambodia.
Sarah is excited to learn more about the culture and people of Cambodia. She says, ”I am excited about the prospect of living a slower life that is rich with traditions, such as the celebration of the Cambodian New Year, a three-day event during which people feast on samlor korkor or amok, play games such as Chol Chhoung, and enjoy dances, like the Robam Trot, to usher in the New Year with positivity and joy. In addition, as a lover of nature and an avid explorer, I hope to hike through Ratanakiri to take in the beauty of the Chaa Ong waterfall.”
Sarah will spend most of her time teaching, during which she will draw on her experiences of leadership on campus and in the community. She also completed a 200-hour TEFL certification program. Outside of the classroom, Sarah intends to hold a debate club. She says that she will model meetings on the organization of class sessions she experienced in Ball State’s student-centered Honors College curriculum.
When she returns to the United States, Sarah will pursue a career in international relations, perhaps working for an international NGO. She explains that her experiences in Cambodia will make her “a more knowledgeable global citizen and professional in the field of international relations.”
Makayla Schuelke is a May 2023 graduate with a major in theatre and minors in classical culture and creative writing. Makayla has been named an alternate for the ETA in North Macedonia.
After earning her TEFL certification in 2023, Makayla began teaching English to adult learners through two volunteer organizations. She also taught informally in various settings in high school and college. If she is moved up to recipient of the ETA award in North Macedonia, she says that she hopes “to learn about the people and their culture through teaching and leadership of a devised theater group that will create and perform original scripts.”
Ultimately, Makayla plans to earn a master’s degree in classics or creative writing.
Lindsey Hayse just graduated with a major in teaching English, a certification in teaching English as a new language, and a minor in Spanish. She was also a student in the Honors College. Lindsey was named a recipient of the Fulbright ETA to teach in Taiwan. Lindsey has declined the award because she had already accepted the FSE + MOE English Teaching Flagship (ETF) Award to teach English in Tawain in the coming year.
Before winning the ETF and Fulbright ETA awards, Lindsey also received three Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) awards, including one that allowed her to study Mandarin and live with a local family in Taiwan during the summer of 2024. She is thrilled to return to the island. She says about her FSE + MOE award, “I am most excited to return to Taiwan and see my friends who live there, as well as explore the island more and meet new people! I’m also looking forward to eating the food again.”
Lindsey has already spent over 560 hours in formal teaching, including methods classes, practica, and student teaching. She’s also worked as a teacher at the YMCA, facilitating homework time and enrichment activities. She feels ready to teach English in Taiwan: “Teaching elementary, middle, and secondary students has prepared me to manage, plan, and execute classroom activities at any level.” Outside of the classroom, Lindsey will utilize her teaching skills by leading activities in English camps.
Lindsey hopes to teach English in Taiwan for many years, even beyond her upcoming FSE + MOE experience. When she returns to the U.S., her experiences in Taiwan will inform her teaching of English learners here.
Fulbright Study Awardees and Alternates:
Conor Dailey just finished a master’s degree at Ball State in geology and natural resources. Previously, he graduated from the Honors College with a self-designed bachelor’s degree. Conor was named a recipient for the Fulbright/Lancaster University Award in Faculty of Science and Technology. Starting in the fall, Conor will study environmental management at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom.
Conor says he targeted Lancaster because “Lancaster University has demonstrated a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and sustainability initiatives. Studying there will allow me to build upon my undergraduate and graduate experiences in environmental science. Specifically, at Lancaster University, I want to study urban forestry and its associated carbon cycle impacts.”
Conor is looking forward to a career in the public sector, where he will advance sustainability efforts.
Simon Webster just graduated with a double major in mathematics and mathematical economics. He was also a student in the Honors College. Simon was awarded the Fulbright/Turkish Universities Master’s Program Award to study economics at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey. He has declined the award because he had already committed to a master’s degree program in economics at Miami University.
Simon previously received the Boren Scholarship, which allowed him to study Turkish in Azerbaijan. This summer, he will be continuing his Turkish studies in Turkey through the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Simon is excited to experience Turkish culture and share U.S. culture with those he meets abroad, despite declining the Fulbright: “In my free time, I will explore historical sites, such as Anitkabir and the Ankara castle, while stopping by coffee shops and joining games of backgammon with anyone interested. This might allow me to have conversations with locals about the US, as I did when I played against the older folks I met at the backgammon table in Azerbaijan. Through all of these activities, I will demonstrate the American values of diversity, open-mindedness, and patriotism.”
In the coming couple of years, Simon will be building his Turkish proficiency and developing as an economist to eventually pursue a position in diplomatic or intelligence work with the federal government. Ultimately, Simon says that his “goal will be to advocate for US policy while also promoting peace and supporting prosperity abroad.”
May 2025: ONCS is excited to announce that Shaina Miller has been named a 2025 Udall Scholar. The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is the nation’s premier scholarship for students going into careers focused on environmentalism, Tribal public policy, or Native American health care. She is one of only 55 Udall Scholars selected this year and Ball State’s first Udall Scholar since 2022. As a Udall Scholar, Shaina has been awarded a $7,000 scholarship and will attend a multi-day Scholar Orientation in August with other Udall Scholars from across the country.
Shaina is eager to learn from other Udall Scholars during the orientation event, and she says that connecting with like-minded leaders “will allow me to build important connections for my future in environmental law and consulting.”
Shaina is a junior political science and pre-law major with a concentration in public administration and minors in sustainability and history. She is also an Honors College student. After graduating from Ball State, she intends to attend law school and then take her advocacy for the environment into a future career as an administrative law judge with the Environmental Protection Agency and/or work in consulting.
Shaina has already built an impressive record of service and advocacy for the environment. She is currently president pro-tempore for the Ball State Student Government Association and was recently elected vice president for 2025–2026. Her successful campaign focused on environmentalism. Shaina has also chaired several committees in the SGA, including the Community and Environmental Affairs Committee, through which she was instrumental in developing and ensuring the success of an on-campus community garden. She also serves on the Dining Advisory Board, through which helped to develop a reusable container program in one dining hall on campus. Shaina also has held leadership roles in other organizations, including the Honors College; her sorority, Kappa Delta; and the local community organization League of Women Voters. She also volunteers with Girl Scouts and has worked as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
Shaina is a recipient of Ball State’s top scholarship, the Whitinger Scholarship, which is awarded through the Honors College, and was named one of Ball State University’s Top Ten students in 2025.
The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is a competitive award established by the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation to honor the legacy of the Udall brothers. Nominees must show dedication to conservation, Native policy, or healthcare through academic and extracurricular achievements.
May 2025: Ten BSU undergraduates—including Emma Geisler, Kendra Eller, Lillian Brown, DeCrystal Anderson, Emma Deaton, Andrew Newcomer, Alex Potter, Bido Attallah, Yosmaliz Rivera, and Isabella Walton—have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships to support their summer international studies! This is a record for Ball State, as the highest number of recipients in any previous cycle was six! ONCS would also like to announce Ball State’s first Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipient.
The Gilman Scholarship and the Gilman-McCain Scholarships both support undergraduates who study abroad, with the Gilman-McCain designated specifically for members of military families. Upon their return to the U.S., all Gilman and Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipients are required to carry out follow-on service projects that help promote international education and understanding.
Emma Geisler, a junior with a major in political science and minors in Arabic and emergency management, will attend the BSU faculty-led Arab Identity and Culture in Morocco study abroad. Emma sees her study in Morocco as essential to her academic and professional aspirations. She explains, “My long-term goal is to work in international relations, or government, specifically focusing on the Middle East. Academically, this program is invaluable, allowing me to complete my final Arabic minor requirement while immersing myself in a region critical to my studies. By engaging directly with Morocco’s culture and language, I will refine my cross-cultural communication skills, gain first-hand experience in Middle Eastern and North African politics, and develop a global perspective essential for diplomacy or humanitarian aid. The intensive language immersion will enhance my proficiency in Arabic, making me more competitive for future career opportunities. Additionally, the program’s curriculum, which includes discussions on identity, colonialism, and current political events, will directly complement my political science studies and prepare me for real-world policy analysis.”For her follow-on service project, Emma will give a presentation about her cross-cultural experiences to classes in the World Languages department and the Religious Studies Department and the Arabic Club, for which she is currently vice president.
Kendra Eller , a biology major with concentrations in genetics and pre-med and a minor in Spanish, will be traveling to Spain through a KIIS program in July. Kendra believes that learning to speak Spanish well will help her to better serve her future patients. This program will provide her with many chances to work on Spanish. In addition to taking courses in Spanish, Kendra says, “Another aspect of this program that interests me is the abundance of opportunities for cultural immersion. This program includes a homestay as well as several excursions to various cities in Spain. In combination with the classes, this will give me ample opportunity to become more comfortable speaking in Spanish, especially with native speakers, something that is extremely important to me. I will use this to create greater accessibility in medicine.”
Upon her return to the United States, Kendra will develop a scrapbook-style presentation for other STEM majors and Spanish students. She explains, “For my project, I want to incorporate elements from my time abroad into a scrapbook-style presentation. This can be pictures, receipts, food wrappers, really anything I find that I can use creatively. I will also incorporate short journal entries and captions for things.”
Lillian Brown , a fourth-year architecture student, will study abroad in Japan this summer through the faculty-led CAP Japan Go! program.
Lillian is excited that her own architecture faculty members will guide her exploration of sites like the Tokyo Skytree and Himeji Castle. She adds, “A particularly unique aspect of this trip is the chance to attend EXPO 2025, a six-month global event themed ‘Designing Future Society for Our Lives.’ Exploring the World’s Exposition will give me invaluable exposure to diverse cultures and innovative architectural concepts from around the world.”
Lillian’s follow-on project will be a presentation on Japanese culture and architecture to the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students and the American Institute of Architecture Students. She will also provide attendees with a pamphlet detailing the Gilman Scholarship.
DeCrystal Anderson , a fashion industry studies major, will be studying abroad in Japan and South Korea through the KIIS Japan-Korea Pop program this summer.
DeCrystal is most excited about visiting South Korea! She explains that she hopes to work in South Korea one day and has long admired Korean pop culture: “It is a lifelong goal of mine to work in Korea. . . . Visiting and learning in Korea before . . . moving there eliminates some risks and unnecessary anxiety that follow that decision. I have been into K-pop for almost ten years and K-drama for seven years. As a Ball State Student, I am the Treasurer of the K-Pop club on campus. Being in Korea will provide me with an invaluable opportunity to experience Korean life outside of the screen from which I typically view it.” The course that DeCrystal will take during her two-week trip will focus on the culinary traditions of the countries she will visit. Therefore, for her follow-on service project, DeCrystal will provide a series of workshops focused on the preparation of foods she will learn to make during her time abroad. The workshops will also contain information about the culture that she will experience and the benefits of the Gilman Scholarship.
Emma Deaton , a journalism major, will be studying abroad in Greece this summer through KIIS. She has always dreamed of exploring Greece! And she knows that this study abroad will also positively impact her career. Emma says, “Greece has a rich history of sports and media, and its approach to broadcasting and journalism offers unique insights that I can apply to my future career. By studying Greek media, observing their sports culture, and experiencing their approach to storytelling, I can broaden my understanding of the global media landscape, which will be a significant asset in my career as a sports reporter.”
For her service project, Emma plans to “create a blog and video series aimed at increasing awareness of study abroad opportunities and the Gilman International Scholarship Program among [her] peers.” She will partner with the Study Abroad Office and other organizations across campus to ensure the link to her blog will be shared with others who are considering studying abroad.
Andrew Newcomer , a math education major with a Spanish minor, will study in Spain this summer through an AIFS program. Andrew says, “As a future educator, one of my goals as a teacher is to be culturally aware and inclusive for all of my students.” He will take two Spanish courses abroad, which will allow him to complete his Spanish major. He is particularly excited to stay with a local family, as he knows that conversing with his host family every day will help him to improve as a Spanish speaker and learn about Spanish customs.
For his follow-on service project, Andrew intends to develop a lesson for Spanish students who attend his old high school, where he also hopes to work as a teacher in the near future. He hopes to encourage high school students from his home community to consider studying abroad during college.
Alex Potter a theatre major with a concentration in theatre creations, will use the Gilman funding to attend the BSU faculty-led Theatre and Dance in Mexico study abroad program this summer. Alex explains that the study abroad will include the development and performance of an entirely new stage production: “In the duration of this program we will be creating a completely new theatrical piece from the ground up. We will cast, rehearse, and perform this show for an audience. Also, we will be creating this production with people in Mexico City, so it will be multicultural.”
Alex also notes that this experience will be transformative: “The program will teach me how to create theatre in an environment I am not used to, collaborating with others. My dream career is to be an actor and playwright in theatre, so this will play a large role in providing experiences to further that career goal.”
For his service project, Alex plans to recast the production that the group will have developed in Mexico, lead rehearsals for this piece on campus, and then perform it for a Ball State audience. At the performance, Alex will also share information about studying abroad and the Gilman Scholarship.
Bido Attallah, a biology and pre-med major with a minor in Arabic, is another Gilman recipient who will be studying abroad in Morocco through the BSU faculty-led Arab Identity and Culture program. Bido intends to pursue a career as a physician and sees this program as important to serving his future patients. He says, “By immersing myself in an Arabic-speaking environment, I will improve my language skills, which will enable me to better communicate with and advocate for Arabic-speaking patients in my future medical career. Additionally, studying abroad will allow me to experience healthcare systems in a different cultural context, broadening my understanding of global medical practices and disparities.”
For his follow-on project, Bido will leverage his position as an RA to host a panel of students who have studied abroad and can share their experiences with his residents and other students across campus. He also hopes to organize a study abroad fair for his residents and provide direct mentorship to other students who intend to study abroad.
Isabella Walton is a media major with a concentration in production and a minor in media promotion and management. Isabella will use the Gilman funding to attend a BSU faculty-led study abroad, entitled K-Culture and Storytelling, in Japan and South Korea this summer. She explains that, in this program, each student will “create an individual project that we will work on over the course of the entire trip that can range from documentaries to music videos of our adventures.”
Isabella is excited to learn about “the role the media plays in countries outside of the United States and the kind of work I might need to put in if I want to pursue my dream of working in another country at some point.” She adds, “I hope to grow my understanding of both South Korean and Japanese culture to expand my horizons academically, professionally, and for my own appreciation and respect of other nations’ cultures.”
Isabella will develop a video representing her experiences abroad and share it with the K-Pop Club, Asian Student Union, Japanese Animation Society, and media classes upon her return to Ball State.
Finally, Yosmaliz Rivera , a graphic design major with a minor in digital media, is Ball State University’s very first Gilman-McCain Scholarship winner. Yosmaliz will use the Gilman-McCain funding to attend the faculty-led Arab Identity and Culture study abroad in Morocco this summer. She explains that this study abroad program will benefit her future career in graphic design: “Throughout my courses, I have always recognized the importance of effectively communicating ideas to different audiences. Each client will have unique needs, wants, and constraints, and I will not only need to understand these qualities but also find ways to convey their ideas to the appropriate audience. As someone who wants to work with a variety of different clients in the future, this is a significant opportunity for me to experience a completely new environment and share knowledge just like I will in my future career.”
For her service project, Yosmaliz is targeting other college students who originate from her home community of East Chicago. In particular, she intends to share her abroad experiences with fellow recipients of the Foundations of East Chicago Scholarship. The recipients of the scholarship get together every year, and, during their 2025 event, Yosmaliz will offer a presentation detailing her time in Morocco, as well as the Gilman and Gilman-McCain Scholarships. Her goal is to encourage a population of college students who may not think that study abroad is accessible to them to consider studying abroad through Gilman or Gilman-McCain funding.
April 2025 : ONCS is thrilled to announce that Simon Webster has been promoted to recipient in the competition for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Simon is an Honors College student who is double majoring in mathematics and mathematical economics. He was named an alternate for the CLS earlier in the year.
Simon will be going to Turkey this summer to study Turkish. He started learning Turkish last year through a Boren Scholarship to Azerbaijan and is excited to continue his learning through this upcoming CLS experience: “CLS is an ideal next step for me because it will allow me to immerse myself in a country where Turkish is an official language, making it easier for me to practice in the local community that which I am learning in class.”
Simon’s plan is to build Turkish capabilities that will benefit his future government work: “I plan to use the CLS experience to gain further skill in economics, network with people in the region, and build Turkish proficiency that will allow me to engage in discussions about complex policy issues. Turkey is a vital US ally and a rising geopolitical power. The ability to converse and read in Turkish will allow me greater understanding of Turkey’s political, social, and economic issues. I will be able to build connections with Turkish individuals and organizations that will benefit my diplomatic or intelligence work. Furthermore, proficiency with Turkish and cultural knowledge of Turkey will qualify me to be stationed and operate in Germany or Greece, which also have significant Turkish populations.”
Kiara Ponce De Leon is Ball State’s other CLS awardee this year. Her program, focused on Mandarin, will now be offered online instead of abroad.
April 2025: Congratulations to Andrew Newcomer, who was awarded a Russel R. Taylor Foundation Scholarship to study in Spain this summer through an AIFS program. Andrew started his degree at Ball State as a math education major, but he added a Spanish major to better equip himself to meet the needs of a diverse high school population throughout his career. He says, “As a future educator, one of my goals as a teacher is to be culturally aware and inclusive for all of my students.” He will take two Spanish courses abroad, which will allow him to complete his Spanish major. He is particularly excited to stay with a local family, instead of in student housing. Conversing with his host family every day will help him to improve as a Spanish speaker and learn about Spanish customs.
The Russel R. Taylor Foundation Scholarship is awarded to highly deserving students and covers up to half the program fee for an AIFS study abroad experience each semester and summer.
April 2025 : Congratulations to two successful Ball State applicants for the FSE + MOE English Teaching Flagship Awards Program!
Julia Canty graduated with a major in economics last May. She was also an Honors College student during her time at Ball State. She was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award in 2024 and has been teaching English in Taiwan for the past year.
She has greatly enjoyed her position there are a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. She describes her role in a school in the city of Tainan: “I am teaching in an elementary school with about 700 students and co-teaching with three local English teachers.” The FSE + MOE Teaching Flagship Award will allow Julia to stay on in Taiwan to teach English for another year.
Lindsey Hayse will be graduating this year with a major in teaching English, a certification in teaching English as a new language, and a minor in Spanish. Like Julia, she is also a student in the Honors College. Lindsey has received three Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) awards, including one that allowed her to study Mandarin and live with a local family in Taiwan during the summer of 2024. She says that this time in Taiwan confirmed her long-term career goal to teach English there: “After living in Taiwan, I’ve come to greatly admire the value that the Taiwanese people place on community, hospitality, and perseverance, especially during these volatile times in the region. A teaching position in Taiwan represents a natural progression in my professional and personal journey, due to my interest in Taiwanese culture and the experience I have navigating Taiwan as well as my training and skill in teaching English.” She will start her career as an English teacher in Taiwan through a teaching placement through the FSE + MOE Teaching Flagship Award program.
The FSE + MOE English Teaching Flagship Awards Program represent a collaboration between the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange and Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, designed to support Taiwan’s objective of becoming a bilingual nation by 2030. These awards offer U.S. educators the opportunity to teach English in Taiwanese schools, while also serving as cultural ambassadors.
March 2025: Congratulations to Marius Igitangaza Ngabo, who has been awarded the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation Graduate Student Scholarship. Marius is a Master of Landscape Architecture student at Ball State. He comes to us from Rwanda. The Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation is a professional organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes. Student scholarships support upper-level landscape architecture students in attending and presenting their research at the organization’s annual meeting.
“Attending this meeting will allow me to learn from professionals engaged in restoring and conserving historic sites, developing rural protection strategies, and advancing cultural heritage planning. The insights I gain through the conference will enrich my research and equip me with practical tools to implement my vision of creating commemorative spaces in Rwanda that foster culture preservation, resilience, equity, and social justice. Moreover, attending the AHLP conference will give me the opportunity to share my work on how landscape architecture can address post-conflict recovery and cultural resilience, contributing a unique perspective to the discourse on historic landscape preservation,” Marius says.
March 2025 : Lily Haley received news that she was shortlisted for the Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute Program. Lily is a sophomore chemistry major with minors in biology and American Sign Language. She is also an Honors College student. Lily says that she intends to pursue a research career in food science, with the goal of using flavor development to “help develop shelf-stable, flavorful, and nutritious food.”
The Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute Program offers freshmen and sophomores from U.S. colleges and universities fully-funded opportunities to explore the culture, heritage, and history of the United Kingdom while experiencing higher education at a U.K. university.
March 2025: We congratulate Jacob Emert on having been waitlisted for the DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) program! Jacob is a chemistry major and a member of the Honors College. The DAAD RISE offers summer research internships in Germany. It aims to provide students in the fields of biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, earth sciences, and engineering with opportunities to gain practical research experience. To be waitlisted for the DAAD RISE is an honor.
Though Jacob could be promoted to recipient status, he has already accepted another offer for a position with a summer research program. He will be working on engineered multiblock polymers at the prestigious University of Minnesota Materials Research Science and Engineering Center during the summer of 2025.
March 2025 : We have received good news about both of Ball State University’s Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) finalists!
Kiara Ponce De Leon, a junior with a major in communications studies and a minor in Chinese, was named a recipient of the CLS! The scholarship will provide her with two months of intensive language study of intermediate Chinese in China this summer. By the end of this academic year, Kiara will have completed three years of Chinese language and culture courses. She is also involved in Chinese Club.
Kiara is excited about the opportunities the CLS program will offer her to improve her Chinese skills. She says, “By engaging in real conversations, I will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural contexts of Mandarin vocabulary and syntax. Interacting with native speakers will also allow me to learn when and how to use specific expressions, slang, and enunciation. I also hope to improve my tones for clearer and more effective communication.”
The CLS program will help Kiara to work toward her professional goals. She hopes to become a translator for the federal government or an international NGO.
Kiara’s CLS award is the latest of 12 Critical Language Scholarships received by Ball State students over the past 17 years.
Simon Webster, an Honors College senior with majors in mathematics and mathematical economics, has been named an alternate for the CLS program for Turkish. He started his study of Turkish in Azerbaijan last summer through funding provided by a Boren Scholarship, another competitive national award that is funded by the Department of Defense.
Simon’s interest in learning Turkish stems from have spent much of his childhood in Cyprus, where Turkish is spoken by much of the population. His background has also influenced his intention to pursue a career in government. He says, “Having observed the tensions between groups in the Mediterranean as a child, I became more and more committed to helping maintain stability in this region, while promoting US national security at the same time. Ultimately, I adopted the professional goal of entering public service through either diplomacy or intelligence – most likely with the State Department, the CIA, or the NSA.”
If Simon is moved from alternate to recipient, he would study this summer in Turkey.
The Critical Language Scholarship is a State Department program that facilitates two months of intensive summer language study in 13 languages considered essential to the United States’ engagement with the world. Approximately 500 undergraduate and graduate students nationwide are selected each year.
February 2025: Hayden Garbez – a social work major who plans to enter law school after graduation – has been named a finalist for the Truman Scholarship! One of the nation’s most prestigious scholarships, the Truman is awarded to exceptional students who will be the nation’s future change-makers. The Truman Scholarship is awarded to juniors who intend to pursue careers in public service and who want to create systemic change. They must possess extensive records of leadership and have demonstrated commitment to public service. Hayden and other finalists for the Chicago region will be interviewed on March 24. Hayden is a transfer student, and he has already started to make a name for himself at Ball State. Congratulations, Hayden!
February 2025 : Congratulations to the following ten BSU students and alumni (pictured below), who’ve made it to the semifinalist round for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program! Final decisions about recipients will be made by host country committees and announced later this semester.
We have six semifinalists for the English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program. If selected, these students and alumni would help teach English and U.S. culture to students in the host countries listed below and also carry out self-designed cultural immersion activities.
Lindsey Hayse (Taiwan) – senior Honors College student with an English teaching major, a license in teaching English as new language, and a minor in Spanish.
Hannah Hendrian (Greece) – senior Honors College student with a major in elementary education and a concentration in language arts.
Elia Livovich (Mexico) – senior Honors College theatre major with a concentration in production stage management and a minor in Spanish.
Megan Lutes (South Korea) – M.A. student in English studies who completed a bachelor’s degree at Ball State in fashion and was also a member of the Honors College as an undergraduate.
Sarah Olsen (Cambodia) – senior Honors College journalism and political science major with concentrations in international studies and news writing and reporting and a minor in French.
Makayla Schuelke (North Macedonia) – May 2023 graduate with a major in theatre and minors in classical culture and creative writing.
We also have four semi-finalists for Study Awards. These students would enter bachelor’s or master’s programs in the host countries listed below.
Payton Bennett (Stirling University, UK) – senior sociology major with minors in sports administration and foundations of management.
Conor Dailey (Lancaster University, UK) – M.S. student in geology and natural resources who completed graduated from the Honors College with a self-designed bachelor’s degree.
Simon Webster (Middle East Technical University, Turkey) – senior Honors College mathematical science and mathematical economics major with a concentration in applied mathematics.
Josie Sprenger (University of Iceland, Iceland) – senior anthropology and psychological science major with minors in Spanish and classical cultures.
Introduced in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and was designed to aid in the mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and citizens of other countries, to promote world peace through education and understanding. Each year, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program funds are awarded in one of two categories: teaching award to fund students to teach English abroad and study/research/creative awards to fund students pursuing research or creative interests or degrees at international universities. U.S. Student Fulbrighters go abroad for 10-12 months for a variety of fully-funded experiences.
February 2025: Congratulations to the following two BSU students, who’ve made it to the semifinalist round for the Critical Language Scholarship program, which is a State Department program that facilitates two months of intensive summer language study in languages considered essential to the United States’ engagement with the world. Approximately 500 undergraduate and graduate students nationwide are selected each year. Our semi-finalists applied to study the languages indicated below.
Simon Webster (Turkish) – senior Honors College student with majors in mathematical science and mathematical economics and a concentration in applied mathematics.
Kiara Ponce de Leon (Chinese) – senior communication studies major with a concentration in interpersonal communications and a minor in Chinese.
December 2024: Three BSU undergraduates—McKailyn Lort, Ella Schollenbruch, and Abigail Yake—have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad in the coming months!
The Gilman Scholarship supports undergraduates who are studying abroad. Upon their return to the U.S., recipients are required to carry out a follow-on service project that helps promote international education and understanding.
McKailyn Lort, a sophomore Honors College student, will travel with KIIS to Spain from June to July 2025. McKailyn has a major in mathematics education. After graduation, she intends to teach mathematics abroad, hopefully in a Spanish-speaking country. Finishing her Spanish minor during this study abroad in Spain will help her move toward her career goal. “I will learn the language better by being immersed in the language and culture,” McKailyn says.
For her follow-on service project, she intends to give presentations about her study abroad experiences to students at the high school she attended. She hopes to inspire high school students as she was inspired in high school to start planning for study abroad in college.
Ella Schollenbruch is spending the Spring 2025 semester in an internship in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ella has a major in architecture and intends to teach at the university level. She believes her understanding of design and future teaching in architecture will benefit from “experiencing architecture from around the world and working with designers from different cultures.”
For her service project, Ella will create an immersive experience for first- and second-year architecture students, with the goal of encouraging them to also intern abroad. She will design an UAE-themed space and invite lower-level architecture students to join an interactive simulation of the design process, incorporating elements of the process she will experience during her internship in the UAE.
Abigail Yake will travel to Ecuador and the Galapagos in May of 2025 with a Ball State University faculty-led study abroad program focused on ecology and conservation. A biology major with a concentration in zoology, Abigal looks forward to experiencing “a vast array of flora and fauna” in the Galapagos, a location that she says “any biologist would be honored to visit.” She believes in taking advantage of opportunities, like this trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos, and seeing where they lead.
Abigail has joined three biology research labs and is the secretary of The Wildlife Society at Ball State. She plans to build a website detailing her trip and sharing it with peers who are also involved in these campus activities.
The federally-funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides up to $5,000* to U.S. undergraduate students pursuing academic studies abroad, to better prepare them to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. (*Additional support is available to selected students who will study Critical Need Languages or conduct STEM research while abroad.)
October 2024 : Congratulations to Eugenia Agyemang, who was recently notified that she was selected for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship. The ASLH Foundation offers a $5000 monetary award to support 15 impressive full-time students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in communication sciences and disorders. The scholarship also includes registration fees for the ASLH annual conference in Seattle in December, where Eugenia will be recognized for her award. Eugenia is a Ball State University doctoral student in audiology.