Three Marshall University students have been named semi-finalists for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program, marking a significant step toward securing the competitive international research grant.

Two undergraduate students are semi-finalists for the Fulbright Open Study/Research Award. Rafael Alfonso, a senior Yeager Scholar majoring in computer science and creative writing, has applied to conduct research in the Philippines. Alfonso aims to explore the intersection of Filipino and American culture through a creative writing project. Anna Perella, a senior majoring in geology and biological sciences, has proposed a paleontology study in Argentina, where she plans to collaborate with researchers on dig sites and in museums and laboratories.

The third semi-finalist, Katherine Germann, is a student at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and a current member of the U.S. Navy. Germann has applied for a Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship in Public Health, hoping to contribute to an ongoing infectious disease research project in Peru.

Semi-finalist status is a significant milestone, indicating that their applications have advanced to review committees in their proposed host countries and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Finalists will be announced later this spring.

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange initiative, aims to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other nations. Funded primarily by the U.S. Congress through the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Recipients are chosen based on academic and professional merit and leadership potential.

Marshall University’s Office of National Scholarships assists students, alumni, faculty, and staff in applying for Fulbright awards and other competitive opportunities. For more information, contact Heather Smith at ons@marshall.edu.