The University of Utah has eight Fulbright semifinalists for the 2021-22 awards. The Fulbright program offers opportunities for recently graduated students, postgraduate students and developing professionals and artists to conduct research, teach English or study for a master’s degree in more than 140 countries worldwide.
This year’s list of semifinalists from the U features six undergraduate students and two Ph.D. students, including four English Teaching Assistant semifinalists and four Research Grant semi-finalists. Semifinalists have applied for host countries including Vietnam, Cameroon, Germany, Turkey, Colombia, Taiwan, Mexico and Hungary.
Making it to the semi-finalist round is a significant accomplishment in the Fulbright competition, and means that the applications have been forwarded by the Fulbright National Screening Committee to the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in the host country for final review. Finalists will be notified later this spring, with the timing of notifications varying by country.
University of Utah’s 2021 Fulbright semifinalists
- Devon Cantwell, Ph.D., political science, Fulbright Research Award to Vietnam
- Alessandra Cipriani-Detres, B.A., international studies and minor in Spanish and Italian, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Colombia
- Ian Farkas, B.A., political science, international studies and Middle East studies with Turkish language, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Turkey
- Peter Johnston, B.A., political science and minor in Spanish, English Teaching Assistantship Mexico
- Elissa Krebs, Ph.D., violin performance, minor in viola pedagogy, Fulbright Research Grant to Germany
- Caitlin Silianoff, B.A., English and political science, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan
- Elliott Sipple, B.S., international studies, Fulbright Research Grant to Hungary
- Celine Slam, B.S., chemistry, Fulbright Research Grant to Cameroon
Of the U’s nine Fulbright semifinalists last year, four went on to receive a Fulbright award and three were designated as alternates.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.
The Fulbright Program at the U is sponsored by the Office for Global Engagement and the Graduate School. For more information, students can contact Howard Lehman, director of the Fulbright Program at lehman@poli-sci.utah.edu.