Seven Rice University graduates were named recipients of the Fulbright scholarship through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program this year, receiving funds to study, research and teach English abroad.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from all backgrounds.
These prestigious scholarships trace their history to 1945, when Sen. J. William Fulbright introduced legislation calling for the selling of surplus war property to fund the “promotion of international goodwill through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture and science.” President Harry Truman signed it into law the following year.
The Rice Fulbright winners received support during the application process from the university’s Center for Civic Leadership, which offers holistic advising for a range of scholarship and fellowship opportunities for graduate study, leadership programs and international travel and research.
The Fulbright recipients shared how they will spend their time abroad.
Shrutika Gupta
“During my Fulbright experience, I will study how cultural factors influence women’s engagement with health care systems in the postpartum period. In collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, I will spend nine months engaging with patients and health care providers in Mumbai with the aim of supporting interventions targeting health inequities in India. I am excited to connect with my heritage, develop my Hindi proficiency through intensive language study and cultivate long-lasting relationships. Through my research, I also hope to deepen my understanding of how sociocultural contexts shape health, supporting my long-term goal of becoming a compassionate and culturally responsive physician.”
Maya Habraken
“Through the Fulbright program, I received a two-year grant to pursue my master’s degree in Korean studies at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies. I plan to focus my concentration on Korean politics and economy, and I am excited at the opportunity to further build on the coursework I completed at Rice as an Asian studies major. I plan to participate in clubs, such as the hiking and photography clubs, and hope to give back to my host community through volunteering. I look forward to further improving my Korean language skills and hope to pursue coursework taught in Korean.”
Lana Kim
“During this upcoming academic year, I will conduct research at Heidelberg University School of Medicine in Germany under Dr. Claudia Denkinger, focusing on infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, which continue to burden low-resource communities worldwide. My primary objective is to lead a study evaluating the usability of swab-based TB diagnostic testing in high-risk populations, including individuals co-infected with HIV/AIDS and those in remote regions. Through the Fulbright, I seek to integrate insights from global community health with clinical diagnostic research, contributing to advancing global disease control efforts.”
Melissa Mar
“During my Fulbright year, I will be an English teaching assistant at the University of Málaga in Málaga, Spain. I’m excited to support students on their English as a foreign language journey and lead a community project to empower students to use data for social good. I hope to build a career in social impact work rooted in using data for action and plan to pursue a graduate degree in statistics with applications in education. I’m eager to strengthen my understanding of global education systems by learning from the educators and students who make them work. I am also looking forward to exploring the cultural and linguistic opportunities Spain has to offer. I am optimistic this experience will help me grow as an educator and independent person.”
Giscar “Gecy” Obambo
“This upcoming school year, I will be an English teaching assistant at CEIP El Chapatal, a primary school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. I look forward to helping my students strengthen their English skills, build confidence and explore new perspectives through cultural exchange. Whether in the classroom or over a friendly board game, I hope to learn from their traditions, values and ways of life. My Fulbright year will strengthen the cross-cultural communication skills I will need as a future dentist serving low-income and immigrant communities.”
Vedha Penmetcha
“During my Fulbright experience, I will conduct public and global health research to evaluate the implementation barriers of a breast cancer screening program in rural communities across India. I aim to understand the social and structural challenges faced by individuals, so I can help shape public health screening initiatives to reach diverse community settings. For this project, I am excited to be based in Hyderabad, India, where I will be affiliated with the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences and the Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation under the mentorship of Dr. Raghu Ram Pillarisetti. I hope to foster sustainable collaboration and dedicate my work in service to my cultural roots and family history. This immersion is critical for my personal and professional growth and, more importantly, for learning how to drive human-centered change in health systems globally.”
Manna Treviño
“This fall as a Fulbright grantee, I’ll be pursuing a master’s degree in international development at IE University in Madrid in collaboration with the UN System Staff College. I’m excited for this opportunity to foster cross-cultural understanding while increasing my knowledge of sustainable development policy and global governance. I’ve always been deeply interested in the intersection between law and the sciences, and I hope to use this experience to explore how evidence-based policy can drive equitable and lasting change.”