Barnard named top Fulbright producer for ninth consecutive year

11 Barnard alumni were selected for the 2026 cohort, making the College a top producer of Fulbright recipients for the ninth consecutive year.

Photo by Haley Scull/The Barnard Bulletin

By Jahnavi Bolleddula

April 11, 2026

For the ninth consecutive year, Barnard College has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright recipients, alongside 113 other higher education institutions. Out of the 65 Barnard applicants, 11 students were selected as scholars for the Fulbright 2025-2026 cohort. 

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s initiative for educational and cultural exchange, operates in over 160 countries, enabling students and researchers to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbright emphasizes not only academic excellence, but also the ability to contribute to mutual understanding across cultures. The program awards funding to “Fulbright Students,” graduating seniors or recent alumni pursuing graduate study or independent research, and “Fulbright Scholars,” who are faculty members pursuing advanced teaching or research projects. 

For many Barnard students, the path to Fulbright begins with engaging in work — whether that be teaching or research — that fosters a personal connection to the countries they choose to teach in. For Sherlyn Rojas (BC ’25), a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Honduras, that moment came during the summer after her first year, when she shadowed her cousin at the Cofradía Bilingual School. 

“I realized that I was really interested in language inside the classroom,” Rojas said. “It was just so interesting to me how it's the same language, but depending on the context that you're coming at it from, it's a totally different experience.”

Aurelia Tan (BC ’25), an ETA in Indonesia, discovered the program while interning at the 9/11 museum and immediately felt inclined to apply. For Tan, choosing to teach in Indonesia was extremely connected to her Indonesian American heritage. 

“I have never been to Indonesia. As a second generation kid, you're always curious about your roots. I always felt very proudly Indonesian, but I had never visited this country that I feel such strong ties to. Teaching English in Indonesia was the perfect way to do that,” Tan said.

Support from the Beyond Barnard office allows students to pursue a Fulbright Scholarship by offering access to advising and networks of previous Fulbright students. Rojas emphasized the importance of this support system, recalling how regular meetings helped her stay on track with her application.

“My piece of advice is to book a standing meeting with somebody that is going to hold you accountable,” she said.

Tan credited Beyond Barnard’s flexible advising and support with making the process straightforward.

“The people at Beyond Barnard, your professors, [and] your friends are going to be supportive of you trying something new, and putting yourself out there,” Tan said.

Once abroad, Fulbright Scholars engage in immersive, often demanding teaching. As an ETA, Rojas splits her time between secondary school and university settings in Honduras, working to support students’ English language development. For Rojas, the most meaningful aspect of the experience is connection.

“My favorite thing about being an ETA is all the people I get to connect with: students and colleagues, or people that I'm working with and supporting,” Rojas said.

Tan echoed this sentiment with her work in Indonesia, where she teaches high school students and leads extracurricular programs, including English clubs, tutoring for scholarship students on Mentawai Island, and meet-and-greets with classes from other local schools. 

“My favorite part of teaching is connecting with students and becoming a mentor figure to them and giving them the type of advice that I wish I would have had at their age,” Tan said.

These experiences often shape scholars’ visions for their futures. Rojas stated that her time in Honduras has expanded her sense of possibility beyond a single geographic path.

“I’m seeing myself as not only holding myself to New York,” Rojas said. “Maybe I don’t have to go back so fast … I also want to keep coming back to Honduras.”

Programs like Fulbright play a critical role in fostering cross-cultural dialogue. Barnard’s consistent presence among top-producing institutions suggests a growing community of students eager to engage with the world.

“As someone who has never been out of the country before, it really opens up your mindset just to be able to live somewhere for such a long period of time … Coming here has really made me realize how much the way you grew up can shape your perspective, and the way that you live,” said Tan. “It's something that's made me [not only] appreciate my upbringing, but also become more receptive, more understanding, and have more insight on why people act the way they act, and knowing what may influence their beliefs and perspectives.”