Grantee Testimonials

Milonee Mehta, Boren Scholarship (STEM Initiative), 2014

“I chose to apply for a Boren Scholarship because I had studied abroad once before college, and had enjoyed the experience so much that I wanted to do it again. I have a fascination with learning critical languages, which is why the Boren fit perfectly for me. I don’t think…
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Cecilia Sebastian, DAAD Grant, 2013–2015

“I spent my third year of undergraduate studies in the philosophy and literature departments at the Freie Universität in Berlin – an exchange made possible by Hopkins’ participation as a partner school in the Berlin Consortium of German Studies. My year in Berlin was formative in the way that all…
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Fellowship Recipients Reflect on their Research & the NFP

The following videos, recorded in May 2015, capture students who worked with the NFP over the past several years while they discuss their research, intellectual development, and how applying for fellowships through our office has refined their projects and future goals. Click on their names to view the videos (JHED…
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Justin Falcone, Truman Scholarship, 2014

I had only vague ideas about the opportunities available to me when I first met with the National Fellowships Program my freshmen year. Still making sense of the undergraduate research fellowship I had then just received, the Wilson Fellowship, my early discussions with Dr. Barry were formative in casting my…
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Mark Brennan, Mitchell Scholarship, 2013–2014

“I valued putting together my Mitchell Scholarship application because crafting that one 1000 word essay gave me a mandate to synthesize all the experiences that had shaped my values and commitment to service to-date, starting in 2004 working in a summer youth program and culminating in 2012 researching for a…
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Carolyn Tsai, Fulbright ETA Grant, 2013–2014

“Little Katherine looks at me, eyes wide with amazement, when she hears me speak Chinese. ‘You can speak Chinese too? So where are you really from? Which country do you belong to?’ I assure her that I am American, and that Americans who can speak different languages do indeed exist….
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Alane Lim, Fulbright Academic Grant, 2013–2014

“At first, I’d chosen to go to Germany mainly to establish international contacts within a country having a strong scientific presence in physical chemistry. But even though I have accomplished that, the most important thing I’ve taken away—please bear with me here—is personal growth. “Admittedly, the first months were hard….
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Mary Han, Fulbright ETA Grant, 2013–2014

“Applying for the Fulbright ETA program in South Korea was an easy decision. After graduating, I wanted to take a year and leave my safe academic bubble for a completely new environment that would challenge me in ways that I didn’t know was possible. The Fulbright program provides complete cultural…
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Justin Porter, DAAD Grant, 2012–2014

“I spent almost two years in Germany after graduating with a degree in Biophysics. During this time, I worked in a lab at the Technical University of Munich, learned German, lived with German students, and—as much as one can in two years—made a life for myself there, and it was…
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Lay Kodama, Churchill Scholarship, 2013–2014

“As I excitedly ordered almost everything on the tapas menu in Barcelona, the waitress politely told me to start with fewer dishes and enjoy them with a side of ‘conversations with friends’ instead. Looking around the restaurant, I finally noticed the relaxed atmosphere — couples nursing their glasses of wine…
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