[Note: Portions of this article first appeared in a Feb 8, 2023 UNG Newsroom article: https://ung.edu/news/articles/2023/02/13-earn-fulbright-semifinalist-status.php] 

Thirteen UNG students and alumni have been selected as semifinalists for the 2023-24 Fulbright US Student Program, a competitive fellowship.   

Two of the 13 selected are #PSIAfamily members: 

  • Norma Martinez, a senior pursuing a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration, hopes to teach English in Germany. 
  • Phillip Ly, a fall 2022 graduate with a degree in strategic and security studies, hopes to teach English in Vietnam. He has also been a recipient of the Funds for Education Abroad scholarship (2020), the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship (2020), the Boren Scholarship (2020), and the Gilman Scholarship (2022). Most recently he was named Distinguished Military Graduate for 2022.  

Dr. Anastasia Lin, assistant vice president of academic affairs and head of UNG’s Nationally Competitive Scholarships office, expressed excitement for the achievements of the students. 

“I’m thrilled by the hard work and dedication each of our applicants put in over the past year,” Lin said. “Earning 13 semifinalist positions is a testament to our applicants’ academic preparation, global awareness, and tenacity.” 

The Fulbright program enables graduates to pursue research activities, become English Teaching Assistants, or enroll in graduate school in other countries. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and residents of more than 160 foreign countries, according to the Fulbright website.  

We wish all thirteen students, and especially the two members of our #PSIAfamily, all the best.! 

 Students interested in learning more about nationally competitive scholarships should contact ncs@ung.edu for more information. 

 [Author: Gabriella Bartlett, IA’23]