Forty-seven incoming US Fulbright grantees gathered in London last week for a three-day orientation ahead of their exchange. In attendance were forty postgraduate students, six scholars, and one Global Scholar.
The breadth of the cohort's interests reflects the many ways that Fulbright's mission comes to life through educational exchange, from advancing knowledge to fostering civic engagement and developing compassionate leaders. Grantees are pursuing projects ranging from space systems engineering to classical acting to disability policy, taking up residence at institutions from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Belfast, Cardiff, and London.
For Miles Manney, of Kansas City, Missouri, a recent West Point graduate now pursuing a master's in Education at the University of Edinburgh, his motivation is rooted in representation. "I wanted the opportunity to represent my culture, my community, and my country, and to leave a positive, lasting impact on how others perceive the United States," he said.
Grantees began the orientation with a welcome dinner and, fittingly, a pub quiz (a classic UK tradition) giving them an early, informal chance to get to know each other. Day two brought the formal program, with grantee project presentations, staff-led sessions on cultural ambassadorship, and a moderated Q&A, "What Is the UK Talking About?", with BBC’s Radio 4 commissioning editor, Hugh Levinson.
Among the Scholars, Candace Livingston, an Associate Professor of Art History heading to Durham University, shared her research into the sensory experience of Roman animal sacrifice.
"This is actually my second Fulbright. I was fortunate to receive a grant to conduct research in Türkiye in 2008-09 for my doctoral dissertation at the University of Southern California… During this Fulbright year, I will continue a project I have been working on for more than a decade, about the sensory experience of Roman animal sacrifices… As I am approaching another key point in my career, hoping to finish a significant book project, I knew that a Fulbright would give me the time and inspiration to do so." – Candace Livingston
The day ended with a formal reception featuring welcoming remarks from Rowena Boddington, Executive Director of the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
"In the 80th anniversary year of the global Fulbright programme, it's a privilege to welcome this year's cohort of grantees to the UK. This group includes artists, social scientists, engineers, historians, and mathematicians, and that breadth is what makes Fulbright so special. We can't wait to see the connections they build, and the contribution they'll make to the ongoing exchange of ideas across the Atlantic." – Rowena Boddington
At reception, host university partners met their incoming grantees, while alumni panellists mingled with the new cohort. Among the connections made, Gina Sinclair, bound for St Andrews to study International Security Studies, met Annabelle Harris, a St Andrews alumna who completed her Fulbright-supported Master of Letters in Classical Studies at the university.
The final day began with welcoming remarks and a Q&A with David Noel Arizmendi, Cultural Attache at the US Embassy, and Clare Colvin, Head of Europe and Americas at the UK Department for Education. Grantees then heard advice and reflections from the alumni panel, took part in a goal-setting workshop for the year ahead, and ended the day with some cultural enrichment, a tour of the British Library.
Choreographer Derick McKoy, Jr., headed to Trinity Laban Conservatoire, reflected on reconnecting with his father's UK roots: "My father was born here in the UK. I've never really been able to reconnect with that side, and I'm very in tune with my Caribbean culture and my American culture, but not so familiar with this one." He's also eyeing the year as a first step toward expanding his dance company abroad. Zoey Hart, pursuing an MSc in Space Systems Engineering at Southampton, said she's equally drawn to the history: "The Titanic sailed from Southampton — I'm genuinely fascinated by that. So I'm excited for the history side of it, not just the engineering."
After three days together, the cohort dispersed to campuses across the UK, carrying forward the connections and sense of purpose built over the orientation.