UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. — Six Penn Staters have received awards in the 2026-27 Fulbright U.S. Student Program — five finalists and an alternate.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide. The program partners with more than 140 countries worldwide, and has provided nearly 450,000 students with the opportunity to learn, work and teach abroad.
The 2026-27 finalists, their degrees and destination country are:
- Kaitlyn Szekerczes, astronomy and astrophysics, doctorate, Eberly College of Science — Greece
- Kendall Penkunas, German, College of the Liberal Arts; world languages Education, College of Education — Germany
- Melica Kemanian Leites, biochemistry and molecular biology, Eberly College of Science; French and Francophone studies, College of the Liberal Arts — Uruguay
- Katherine Milner, Spanish, linguistics, and Korean, College of Liberal Arts — South Korea
- Emily Rivas, international affairs, MBA, Penn State World Campus — South Korea
- James Shin, global and international studies, Russian, and East European studies, College of the Liberal Arts — Kyrgyzstan
Viktoriia Vozharenko, accounting, writing and digital Media, Penn State Berks, was selected as an alternate to study in Poland. Alternates are maintained on a waiting list in case of a spot opening up or additional funds being made available.
How to apply for 2026-27
The application process is open now for the next round of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, 2026-27, which is facilitated by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring. Interested applicants can register for an application preparation course that will run in Canvas throughout the summer. During the first week of August, candidates interested in participating in Penn State’s on-campus Fulbright review process will register for interview week. Candidates must have selected a Fulbright grant and country before registering. Additional application deadlines will follow throughout the fall.
Students who are interested in applying are encouraged to list their Penn State campus as their institution rather than applying at-large. Find more information at urfm.psu.edu.
Undergraduate Research and Fellowship Mentoring is a part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.