Liberty graduates awarded Fulbright grants for research and teaching in Finland, Poland

Two Liberty University graduates, Samuel “Lake” Heath and Evelyn Loftin, have been awarded grants through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, a prestigious scholarship provided to American students to teach, study, and research around the globe.

The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Government, is one of the most competitive academic exchange programs in the world. Each year, thousands of students apply, but only a fraction are selected based on their academic merit and the strength of their applications.

Heath, a recent mechanical engineering graduate, was awarded a research grant to Finland, where he will be pursuing a master’s degree in industrial engineering. History graduate Loftin will be traveling to Poland, where she will teach at the Karkonosze University of Applied Sciences in Jelenia Góra, Poland. A third Liberty student, biochemistry and molecular biology graduate William Foore, is currently an alternate. This means he may still be selected as a Fulbright finalist if additional spots become available.

Heath learned of his Fulbright acceptance two days before Liberty’s 2025 Commencement. Once he departs in September, he will be pursuing a two-year master’s degree in industrial engineering at LUT University. His Fulbright grant will cover his expenses for his first year, and a scholarship from LUT University will cover tuition for his second year.

“I’m super grateful for this opportunity,” Heath said. “It’s a huge blessing, and I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get it. It will be very helpful to continue further studies; I love studying and continuing to learn. What I’ve learned in undergrad is a very good foundation for a lot of (what) I want to do. But pursuing this master’s degree in Finland will help me gain an international perspective.”

In addition to his academic pursuits, Heath will research Finland’s approach to food redistribution, one of the most efficient systems of its kind in the world. Heath’s interest in food redistribution began at Liberty, where he learned that roughly 30-40 percent of all food in the United States goes to waste, according to the USDA.

This discrepancy prompted Heath to start Liberty’s Manna club, which partners with Liberty’s dining service provider Sodexo to donate unused food to local food banks and soup kitchens. Heath’s interest in Finland’s food redistribution systems further piqued his interest to study abroad in Finland.

“When I come back from Finland, it would be really cool to take what I’ve learned and apply it to the U.S.,” Heath said. “When I applied (for Fulbright), I knew the odds were slim. So, I wasn’t trying to get my hopes up too much. But the Lord blessed me with this. It wasn’t anything I did that was special. But I believe the Lord opened this door.”

Loftin, also part of Liberty’s largest graduating class to date, will depart for Poland in September and return the following June.

“I have been really interested in Poland for the last four years due to my research interest in the Holocaust,” said Loftin, who was given a Liberty University Provost Award for Research Excellence two years ago to visit Poland and learn the language. “While in Poland, I fell in love with the country and the culture and really needed to return, so this Fulbright is like an answered prayer to go back to a country that I loved so much and left part of my heart in. Fulbright is a competitive scholarship. (Professor of Government and Fulbright Program Advisor Edna Udobong) works diligently with students on scholarship opportunities and application submissions.”

Udobong works in collaboration with a strong 17-member Fulbright Committee at Liberty University to assist students with applications. The committee’s commitment is to help students fulfill the Great Commission, as commanded in Matthew 28:19-20.

Reflecting on her time at Liberty, Loftin said the support and encouragement from her professors in the College of Arts and Sciences was instrumental in her academic journey.

“It feels really amazing to be a part of a history department that supports student research and achievements, like the Fulbright,” she said. “I had really amazing professors like (Professor of History) Dr. (David) Snead who have helped me get to where I am today.”

For more information on the Fulbright Program, contact Professor of Government Edna Udobong, Liberty’s Fulbright Program advisor and scholar liaison, at eudobong3@liberty.edu.