Nine Liberty Students And Faculty Are Fulbright Semifinalists

The Fulbright Program offers opportunities for students and faculty at colleges across the country to serve citizens from other countries through teaching band conducting research.

This year, Fulbright semifinalists include six Liberty students and three faculty members. All of them experienced a long, intensive application process. This process included submitting essays, having references and providing resumes with their qualifications.

When they began the process, each applicant chose a specific country. If selected for the grant, they will receive funding from the U.S. government to serve in that country.

“I have been passionate about cross-cultural learning since I first visited South America at 13 years old,” Fulbright semifinalist Jonathan Dumdei said. “When I heard about Fulbright, I knew I wanted to apply to have a chance at teaching overseas and helping students have the eye-opening, life-changing experiences that education and cultural dialogue has brought me.”

The Fulbright program at Liberty is administered through Dean Robert Hurt’s Office, Helms School of Government, and supervised by the Office of the Provost. 

Edna Udobong has served as the Fulbright adviser and helped Liberty students and faculty apply to the program since 2012. According to Udobong, Liberty’s mission of training champions for Christ contributes to the large success of Liberty applicants. The Fulbright Program revolves around service, which is a key component taught at Liberty.

“We seem to have been doing better (than other universities) because the mission of Liberty aligns with the mission of Fulbright,” Udobong said.

For many applicants, service became a key motivator behind their decision to apply. The Fulbright Program also allows participants to immerse themselves in other cultures.

“I have had a heart for Indonesia since I traveled there in high school, and I wanted to use the Fulbright scholarship to serve the Indonesian community through teaching English to learn more about their culture and to learn some of their language,” Fulbright semifinalist Brielle Marlow said.

With about a 20% acceptance rate, the scholarship is competitive. Liberty’s high number of semifinalists is a testament to how the university prepares its students for prestigious opportunities like the Fulbright Program.

“Being a Fulbright Scholar is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity while I had it,” Fulbright semifinalist Zach Sechler said.

Liberty does not just help residential students apply to the program. James Tchokogoue, a student in Liberty’s online public health program, received a Fulbright grant to serve in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Tchokogoue applied for the Boren national security fellowship in 2021. According to Tchokogoue’s story he submitted to the Fulbright Program, he sensed God had different plans for him.

“I was not a final select for this award, but God had different plans for me,” Tchokogoue said. “After learning of the decision from the Boren fellowship, I applied for the Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship. Inspired by the Apostle Paul in his letter from Galatians 6:9 which reads ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’”

Tchokogoue recently received the Fulbright grant to Ivory Coast.  

As a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, Tchokogoue will become an ambassador and a representation of the U.S. in that country.

Several Liberty students currently serve as Fulbright scholars. Fulbright recipient Joseph Anguiano teaches and works as an academic advisor in Budapest, Hungary. In an EducationUSA newsletter, he described his experience in the program and the educational foundation Liberty provided.

According to the Fulbright website, semifinalists will find out if they are a recipient of the award any time between March and June. 

“Itʼs been a long application process, almost a year now, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into it,” Dumdei said.

Professor Udobong and Liberty University’s 14-member Fulbright Committee are working with Fulbright candidates for the 2023-24 grant application cycle.  Contact Edna Udobong at eudobong3@liberty.edu to attend April 2022 Fulbright application workshops and webinars. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit cies.org/us-scholar-awards.

Kamman is a news reporter.