Jayhawks named semifinalists for student Fulbright awards
LAWRENCE — Six University of Kansas students and alumni have advanced to the semifinalist round for Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards, which will provide funding to study, conduct research or teach English abroad for the 2025-2026 academic year.
This year’s Fulbright semifinalists represent diverse academic fields across the Lawrence campus, coming from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the School of Music. The semifinalists’ locations of proposed study span six countries.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is designed to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide.
Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement as well as their record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. Fulbright grants provide funding for round-trip travel, maintenance for one academic year, health and accident insurance and, where relevant, tuition.
Finalists and alternates will be announced later this spring.
2025-2026 Fulbright semifinalists
Nick Caterine has applied to be an English teaching assistant in Spain. From Overland Park, Caterine graduated in December 2024 with bachelor’s degrees in political science and Spanish and a minor in history. His parents are Lisa and Matt Caterine.
Julia Cummings has applied to be an English teaching assistant in Croatia. From Wichita, Cummings will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in English and minor in social justice. Her parents are Bill and Nika Cummings.
Sarah Hargreaves has applied to be an English teaching assistant in Kenya. From Warsaw, Missouri, Hargreaves will graduate in May with a master’s degree in English. Her parents are Debbie and Patrick Ford.
Eli Panek has proposed to study and conduct research in vocal music at Die Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg in Germany. From Kansas City, Missouri, Panek is a master's student in voice and opera and has a bachelor’s degree in music from KU. His parents are David and Mary Beth Panek.
Theresa Read has proposed to travel to Sweden to conduct research on heavy metal content in glacier meltwater. Living in Shawnee, Read graduated in May 2024 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biochemistry. Her husband is Justin Read, and her son is Dalamar Read.
Levi Van Ryder has proposed to study and conduct research in nuclear physics at the Czech Technical University in the Czech Republic. From Houston, Van Ryder is a doctoral student in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Van Ryder has a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Houston. His parents are Marianne and Samuel Van Ryder.