Several members of the OHIO community selected for prestigious international exchange awards

Several Ohio University students, alumni and faculty members have been selected for prestigious awards and fellowships through the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) and Fulbright programs that will allow them to promote international, educational and cultural exchange in countries across the world. 

The Fulbright programs and CLS program are administered through the U.S. State Department and are designed to support students, alumni and educators with their ambassadorial, citizen diplomacy, researching, and teaching goals.

“We are proud to see our students, faculty and alumni recognized with these highly competitive international awards,” said Interim Executive Vice President and Provost John McCarthy. “Their experiences abroad will foster meaningful cultural exchange while bringing back new knowledge, perspectives and partnerships that will enrich the Ohio University community.”

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)

Jennafer D'Alvia 

Jennafer D'Alvia, a doctoral student in creative writing (fiction) at Ohio University, is participating in the Critical Language Scholarship Program in Meknes, Morocco, where she is completing intensive Arabic language study.

“After one week in Meknes, I could already see a difference in my abilities in Arabic,” D’Alvia said. “The language and the vocabulary feel more immediate here and I’m learning many new words and structures every day.”

As a CLS student, she is also embedded with a host family where she has the chance to get to know the people and the rhythms of the culture even more directly.

“During the program, I’m hoping to develop a comfort and an ease with Arabic, to learn more about the history of Morocco, and to understand more about the way Moroccans think and how they understand the world and their place in it.”

Amanda Ellard

Amanda Ellard was selected as an alternate for the Critical Language Scholarship in Japan. Ellard is pursuing a Ph.D. in English with a concentration in creative writing (fiction) and an East Asian Studies graduate certificate and expects to graduate in 2028.

She serves as managing editor of Quarter After Eight literary journal and has taught courses in speculative fiction literature: dystopian and utopian novels, creative writing fiction workshop, and first-year rhetoric and composition. Prior to coming to OHIO, her studies were focused on Japanese language and culture.

“My hopes for the scholarship were not only to reconnect with the Japanese language toward fluency but also to bring back first-hand cultural experience, including new perspectives on creative writing and folklore, to my classroom as a teacher, especially as I continue teaching Japanese literature in translation.”

Fulbright Austria English Teaching Assistant Program

Sophia Rooksberry

Sophia Rooksberry, a May 2026 graduate of the Honors Tutorial College, earned degrees in journalism with minors in music and German and a certificate in museum studies. She will begin the Fulbright Austria United States Teaching Assistantship Program this fall in Innsbruck, Austria.

As an English teaching assistant, Rooksberry will support English instruction at an Austrian high school while helping organize lessons about American history and culture.

“Over the course of the year, I hope to practice my German language skills, gain new leadership experiences and boost my journalistic skills by gaining a new perspective of the English language.”

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Fatiha Bazouche

Fatiha Bazouche, a doctoral candidate in Instructional Technology/Innovative Learning Design and Technology in Ohio University's Patton College of Education who is expected to graduate summer of 2026, received a Fulbright Finland Doctoral Award Research grant. Her research focuses on promoting preservice teachers’ critical thinking skills in hybrid, technology-mediated and AI-enhanced learning environments.

Working with the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland, Bazouche will conduct comparative research examining how artificial intelligence can support the development of critical thinking, teacher learning, and innovative pedagogical practices in higher education.

“I am deeply honored to serve as a Fulbright Finland Doctoral Award Researcher and to carry this work forward in both Helsinki and Eastern Finland. My research is rooted in the belief that AI should strengthen human thinking, creativity and reflection rather than replace them. Through this Fulbright experience, I hope to learn from Finnish educational innovation while also building a comparative perspective between the United States and Finland. My goal is to bring back insights that can help future teachers prepare their students to think critically, ethically, and creatively in a world increasingly shaped by AI. This opportunity reflects my commitment as a researcher, educator, and global scholar, and I hope it inspires others to see technology as a partner in deeper and more meaningful learning.”

Isabella Burcsak

Isabella Burcsak, who graduated in December 2025 with a bachelor's degree in English: Literature, Culture and Writing through the OHIO Honors Program, received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to Bulgaria.

Beginning this fall in Sofia, Burcsak will teach English while immersing herself in Bulgarian culture.

“I wish to help my Bulgarian students become confident in their English abilities and hopefully grow an affinity for the English language and literary work. I also hope to truly experience everything Bulgaria has to offer, from its food to the culture, and everything in between.”

Burcsak also received a Fulbright Taiwan English Teaching Flagship Fellowship.

Grace Cobb
 

Grace Cobb, a 2025 graduate of Ohio University's Scripps College of Communication where she studied Virtual Reality and Game Development and minored in Communication Studies and Japanese, received the Fulbright/Northumbria University Award in Art & Design.

While at Ohio University, Grace designed interactive experiences and coordinated cultural programming that connected students from around the world, developing her passion for using technology and events as tools for cultural exchange.  

Cobb will pursue a master's degree in Creative and Cultural Industries Management, with a focus on festivals and events, at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. There, she hopes to explore how immersive technologies and innovative event strategies can expand access to cultural experiences and strengthen communities, engaging with Newcastle's developed creative sector along the way.

"I am incredibly grateful to both the U.S. and UK Fulbright Commissions for believing in my story and the work I hope to pursue. My time at Ohio University shaped me in ways I never could have expected, from building immersive experiences to connecting with international communities and discovering the UK’s experiential culture scene firsthand. Each part of that journey has led me to this next chapter. Over the next year, I’m especially excited to learn from Newcastle’s creative community and explore how technology is shaping the future of cultural experiences."

Ava Hutchinson

Ava Hutchinson graduated from Ohio University in spring 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education, specializing in English Language Arts and Social Studies. She received a 2027 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant to South Korea.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that the Fulbright Program has given me. I hope to grow as both an educator and a person while truly experiencing the beauty of another culture and building meaningful connections with the people around me. I cannot wait to immerse myself in a new way of life, learn from new perspectives, and embrace everything that this experience has to offer.”

Charles Slates

Charles Slates recently completed his bachelor's degree in integrated mathematics with a concentration in high school mathematics education. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Taipei, Taiwan, he will teach English while learning about Taiwan's educational system and culture.

Kenji Schmaltz 

Kenji Schmaltz, a spring 2026 Honors Tutorial College graduate in political science with a minor in German, was selected as an alternate for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to Germany.

Schmaltz hopes to continue developing his German language skills while building meaningful cultural connections with students.

"I am hoping to further my German language education while simultaneously fostering a cross-cultural connection with the students I teach."

Anna Miller 
Anna Miller was selected as a Fulbright Germany finalist and will conduct osteoarthritis research in Cologne beginning this fall.

Working under the mentorship of Dr. Bent Brachvogel at CECAD Cologne, Miller will continue her research while building upon work completed at Ohio University. She credits the support of faculty mentors and the Honors Tutorial College for helping her achieve the award.

“I am so excited to announce that I have been selected as a Finalist for the Fulbright Germany program! I am still in disbelief about this news and am so excited about the opportunity to live abroad.”

Allison Nicoll 
Allison Nicoll was selected as an alternate for a Fulbright award to the Slovak Republic.

Jaylynne Trissell
Jaylynne Trissell received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant award to France.

Fulbright Taiwan English Teaching Flagship Fellowship

Audrey Jeffers 
Audrey Jeffers received a Fulbright Taiwan English Teaching Flagship Fellowship.
Faculty Fulbright Specialist Program

Nicole Antoinette Smith

Ohio University Associate Professor of Instruction Nicole Antoinette Smith received a Fulbright Specialist Program award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Through the award, Smith traveled to Durban, South Africa, where she partnered with the Imbeleko Foundation and Imbeleko Academy to strengthen educational opportunities in rural and underserved communities through strategic planning, innovation and leadership development.

Smith, who teaches in the Department of Analytics and Information Systems in the College of Business, designed and facilitated a Strategic Innovation Lab that brought together educators, nonprofit leaders and international experts to develop a long-term framework for expanding educational pathways, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and community development. She continues to collaborate with the organization by refining strategic plans, coaching leadership teams and developing sustainable systems to support long-term community impact.

“Receiving the Fulbright Specialist award is both an incredible honor and a tremendous responsibility. Throughout my career, I have believed that education has the power to transform lives and communities. The Fulbright program provides an opportunity to contribute that expertise on a global stage while learning from talented educators, leaders, and communities around the world,” Smith said. “This experience has reinforced that innovation is not something we export—it is something we build together. Some of the most meaningful moments came from working alongside South African educators and community leaders whose resilience, creativity, and commitment to their learners continually inspired me. The exchange reminded me that the best solutions emerge through partnership, mutual respect, and shared learning.”

Smith also serves as Program Director for the J'COB College Experience, an initiative designed to prepare incoming students to develop the creative problem-solving and leadership skills needed to address complex challenges, as well as serves as the Faculty Advisor for the Multicultural Student Business Caucus (MSBC), where she helps students with academic and professional success through experiential learning. She is the founder of Nicole Antoinette Consulting, where she works with organizations on strategic innovation, workforce development, organizational change and creative leadership.

“One of the greatest gifts of the Fulbright experience is perspective,” she added. “Working across cultures has challenged me to think differently about leadership, education, community engagement, and innovation. I have gained a deeper appreciation for how creativity can flourish even in resource-constrained environments and how collaborative problem-solving can unlock remarkable opportunities. I look forward to bringing those lessons back to Ohio University by enriching my teaching with real-world international case studies, expanding opportunities for global collaboration, and creating new experiential learning experiences for students. My goal is to help students understand that the challenges they will face in business, government, and nonprofit organizations increasingly require global awareness, cultural humility, and the ability to work across disciplines and perspectives.”

Learn more about her Fulbright experience here. 

For more information
Students and alumni interested in applying for the Fulbright US Student Program’s upcoming October 2026 deadline should reach out to Dr. Chris Lewis in the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at christopherlewis@ohio.edu.