We are pleased to introduce the participants in this year’s UK Summer Institute programme. The UK Summer Institute programme for US undergraduates has been offered through partnerships with a variety of top-ranked UK universities since 2010.
This year we are hosting the following six Summer Institute programmes at host institutions across the UK: University of Bristol Summer Institute, Queen's University Belfast Summer Institute, King’s College London Summer Institute, University of St Andrews Summer Institute, University of Birmingham Summer Institute and Lancaster University Summer Institute. Our thanks and appreciation go to our university partners and sponsors, the Jeff Louis and Gannett Foundations and the Scottish government, for making this fantastic opportunity possible.
The US-UK Fulbright Commission is dedicated to investing in human potential and working towards a world where there are no obstacles to learning, understanding and collaboration. This year, we are delighted to have offered 32 placements to students from 18 different US States and 31 different universities across the US – 25 out of the 32 participants had never travelled outside of North America, and 12 of the participants are the first in their family to go to university.
In making these awards, the Commission looks not only for academic excellence, but a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme, and a plan to give back to their home country upon their return.
In addition to covering all participant costs, the Fulbright Summer Institutes participants receive a distinctive support and cultural education programme including a comprehensive pre-departure orientation, enrichment opportunities, and the opportunity to join our alumni networks. Find out more about the Summer Institutes here.
University of St. Andrews Summer Institute – Identity and Nationhood
The University of St. Andrews Summer Institute is a three-week cultural and academic programme focusing on the theme Scotland's History, exploring kingdom, nation and people.
For a small country Scotland has a large historical footprint. From the making of the kingdom and the development of its identity as one of the nations of Europe, Scotland has retained a strong and changing sense of its past both as an independent state and as part of the United Kingdom. This Summer Institute examines Scotland’s rich history via the close study of some of the key aspects of the country’s past. It draws on the physical environment, material objects and written texts to provide a sense of the events and themes which have formed Scotland’s history.
Participants selected for 2025 are: Audrey Bird from Miami University, Nik Gillaspie from Baylor University, Brunella Meini from University of Miami, Sensi Messner-Baker from American University and Gray Zeisse from University of South Florida.
University of Bristol Summer Institute - Arts, Activism and Social Justice
This University of Bristol Institute programme is a three-week cultural and academic programme, exploring the intersection of Arts, Activism and Social Justice.
Bristol played a major role in the transatlantic slave- trade and colonialism. The city’s historic role in slavery and colonialism has had significant material, economic and cultural legacies today in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and in Bristol itself. Bristol’s complex history and diverse contemporary cultures make it an opportune place for US students to learn about the social worlds of Britain and Europe, and from which to gain a deeper understanding of our shared global histories.
Students will investigate how literature, music, visual arts, poetry and storytelling, dance, philosophy and critical social theories have shaped movements for social justice across the globe, with particular attention given to racial justice and the legacies of slavery.
Participants selected for 2025 are: Obse Abebe from Columbia University, Demetrist Booker from Duke University, Lloyce Frimpong from Towson University, Sophie Glenn from University of Cincinnati, Carter Johansen from University of Tulsa, Theresa Lindberg from Mount Mary University, and Jayson Smith from Ohio University Honors Tutorial College.
Queen's University Belfast Summer Institute - Understanding Northern Ireland
The Fulbright Queen’s University Summer Institute offers participants a three-week introduction to the rich tapestry of historical, cultural, political, and socio-economic factors that combine to make Northern Ireland a unique place. This experiential programme will situate Queen’s, Belfast, and the north of Ireland within the key conversations that shape our wider world.
Not simply academic in scope, the Summer Institute provides insights into the histories, locations, and future visions of Belfast and this part of Ireland by engaging with local people and visiting a range of political, historical, and cultural sites. Participants will learn about the city and explore the country alongside peers from other international universities, drawn from across the world’s seven continents.
Selected participants for 2025 are: Humza Ahmed from Virginia Tech, Cecelia Escobar from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Mo Fahad from Carnegie Mellon University and Jake Richfield from Saint Joseph’s University.
University of Birmingham Summer Institute - British Cultural Heritage
The Fulbright University of Birmingham Summer Institute is a three-week cultural and academic programme focusing on British Cultural Heritage.
The programme seeks to introduce students to the study of heritage sites. Participants will explore premier examples of Britain’s heritage, examine the ways these sites are managed, how they attract tourists from around the world and discover the art, architecture, literature, design and popular culture that form the basis of Britain’s identity. The programme involves a mixture of field trips, self-guided study and expert led tours, underpinned by associated lectures that provide an academic context to help you get the most out of the visits.
Selected participants for 2025 are: Maria Balhara from University of Pennsylvania, Michael Bryant from University of Michigan, Chloe Lu from Ohio State University, Joey Pallmann from University of North Florida, and Rei Tedoco from Arizona State University.
Lancaster University Summer Institute - Film
The Fulbright Lancaster Summer Institute is a three-week programme which allows students to develop an understanding of the formal and technical composition of films and the wider conventions of cinema.
Through a combination of a combination of lectures, screening and workshops, participants on the Global Summer School on Film will develop the theoretical knowledge they will need to put into practice when working on the project in the final week. The lectures provide an understanding of the formal and technical composition of films necessary to undertake detailed analysis, from the level of close scrutiny of individual images, and their interrelation with the soundtrack, through to the narrative assembly of shots and scenes. Through the analysis of a range of examples, participants will become familiar with the key formal and semantic conventions of cinema.
Participants selected for 2025 are: Ava Skye Barton from Elizabethtown College, Lindsay Bitner-Mitchell from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Hays Romano from Mississippi State University, Eduarda Silva from New York University, and Ryan Smith from Marquette University.
King's College London Summer Institute - Modern Britain: Institutions, Power and People
The Fulbright UK Summer Institute at King’s College London, ‘Modern Britain: Institutions, Power, & People’ will offer participants an in-depth understanding of how Britain’s institutions, power, and its people have shaped a twenty-first century nation state.
The Summer Institute is designed to be both academic and cultural in scope. The research-enriched academic content is taught by King’s faculty and contains immersive, experiential learning and visits to sites of cultural and historical significance. Participants will embark on a personal adventure by joining a highly interactive, skills and knowledge-building programme that is designed to stimulate intellectually and empower.
Participants selected for 2025 are: Noor Atkinson from Syracuse University, Ace Farris from University of Louisville, Brynnan Smith from Xavier University Of Louisiana, Madison Thompson from North Carolina State University and George Tom from Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter College.
You can learn more about our participants by reading their bios here.