The six Fulbright semi-finalists. Top row (left to right): Josibeth Aguilera ’25, Kristin Lenz ѳ’25, Elizabeth Bolsoni ’23. Bottom row (left to right): Emma Svendsen ’25, Nag Poe ’24, Kiara Gomes ’25.
Six ż students and alumni — representing a range of majors, programs, and interests — were announced this week as semi-finalists for the 2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. ż’s has consistently produced Fulbright semi-finalists and finalists throughout its history, and this year is no different, with five students and an alumna selected for the next round of the prestigious fellowship.
“Each of these semi-finalists brought a unique skill set and passion to their Fulbright application, and it has been an honor to support them through the application process over the past seven months,” said Katherine Campbell, PhD, director of Competitive Fellowships. “Getting to this stage is a huge deal! We are so proud of their commitment to mutual exchange and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.”
The focuses on cultural exchange and awards grants that allow recent college graduates to pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. The Fulbright Study/Research Award supports participants as they pursue independent research or graduate study internationally, while the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant programs place grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classrooms.
ż’s 2025 Fulbright semi-finalists are:
Josibeth Aguilera ’25, international studies and political science major
Semi-finalist for an English Teaching Award in Kyrgyzstan
Aguilera's motivation for an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award stems from her 2023 Critical Language Scholarship in Tbilisi, Georgia. This experience introduced her to Kyrgyzstan as a post-Soviet nation and ignited her passion for international politics and immigration policy.
Elizabeth Bolsoni ’23, communication studies major and English minor
Semi-finalist for an English Teaching Award in Kenya
Since being recognized as a semi-finalist for this award last cycle, Bolsoni has only deepened her interest in Kenyan current events and her commitment to storytelling, language, and the Fulbright program as an avenue for international exchange.
Kiara Gomes ’25, fashion design and international studies major
Semi-finalist for a Master’s Degree Program Award in Taiwan
Gomes plans to pursue a master's degree in brand and fashion management to understand the business side of fashion, as she aspires to lead in the industry as a sustainable designer and advocate.
Kristin Lentz ѳ’25, Master of Library and Information Science program
Semi-finalist for an English Teaching Award in Malta
Lenz’s professional goal is to become a librarian and work with different ethnic and racial groups in the Twin Cities area whose first language is not English, a skillset she will be able to develop working as an ETA in Malta and its multicultural population.
Nag Poe ’24, exercise and sport science major
Semi-finalist for an English Teaching Award in Thailand
Poe is passionate about education and hopes to bring her enthusiasm to the classroom as an English Teaching Assistant in Thailand by incorporating extra-curricular activities like sports.
Emma Svendsen ’25, English and marketing and digital strategy major
Semi-finalist for an English Teaching Award in Belgium
Svendsen's lived experience as a dual citizen who always has one foot in another country combined with her clear passion for multilingualism make her an outstanding candidate for an ETA award for trilingual Belgium.
The application process was supported by the Competitive Fellowships office, part of the Office of Scholarly Engagement, ż’s hub for engaged learning. Competitive Fellowships supports both students and alumni in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, as well as other fellowships, in all areas of study and degree levels.
The semi-finalists will continue the interview process, and the Fulbright finalists will be announced later this spring.
About the Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which has operated in over 160 countries worldwide. In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. .