June 4, 2025

We are thrilled to announce that seven Drexel students and recent alumni were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025-26 and four were selected as alternates. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for one year of graduate study, research, creative projects or teaching English worldwide. Drexel's recipients will be heading to the Philippines, Hungary, Greece, Germany, and the Canary Islands. We're so proud that their hard work has been recognized, and can't wait to see their Fulbright adventures!

Asad Baig
BS chemistry ’25, Honors
Study/Research Grant to Greece

Asad is currently a fifth-year first-generation honors undergraduate at Drexel University studying chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry. He was introduced to research in his freshman year when he was given the honor to work in Dr. Wood's research group through the Maryanoff Scholarship. He continued to expand his research interests through the co-op system where he joined Dr. Xi's research group where he continues to do research now. He recently won the Dr. Robert O. Hutchins Endowed Chemistry Prize due to his contributions in research. Through the co-op system he was able to intern at Incyte and AmeriCorps which have developed his career goals and inspired him to apply for a Fulbright Student Study Grant to pursue a Master's in Translational Engineering and Medicine at the National Technical University of Athens.

Anjalee Bhuyan
MD ’26
Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship in Public Health to Nepal

Anjalee Bhuyan is a rising fourth-year medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine with a passion for medical capacity-building in low-resource settings. She earned her BA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 and has been involved in global health research in the Dominican Republic with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and in The Gambia with Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Through the Fulbright-Fogarty Fellowship, Anjalee will conduct research in Nepal on the health impacts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among brick kiln workers. Outside of medicine, she enjoys playing the flute, rock climbing, and eating chocolate.

Lillian Fenzil
BS custom-designed major in academic counseling and advising ’25, Honors
English Teaching Assistant (ETA) to Hungary

Lillian Fenzil (she/her) is a senior pursuing a custom-designed major in academic counseling and advising through developing a holistic student-centered model for advising through courses in communications fields, diversity, and psychology. She currently works with students as a peer mentor with the First-Year Exploratory Studies program, with the Drexel Dragon Buddies international program, and as an ambassador for the Pennoni Honors College. Her first co-op was with Goodwin College to support the advising team, recruitment, and the continuing education programs. Her second co-op was with Drexel's Writers Room supporting their intergenerational programming. She is excited to be a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Hungary to further immerse herself in different cultures and to facilitate cross-cultural understanding.

Lillian has also been involved in the Pennoni Honors College through the Honors Program, custom-designed major, and as a 2022 STAR Scholar.

Alexandra Goodin
BS psychology ’25, Honors
ETA to Spain (Canary Islands)

Alexandra applied to the Fulbright ETA in Spain program as a senior psychology major and Spanish minor at Drexel. She studied abroad in Madrid during her junior year, had a fantastic experience, and jumped at the chance to go back! After her Fulbright, Alexandra plans to continue her studies in graduate school, with future plans of becoming a therapist for children and adolescents. During her time at Drexel, she has been involved in the Drexel Pilates Training Program, the Pennoni Honors College, research in the WELL Center, and more!

Cassidy Joyce
BS environmental science ’25, Honors
Alternate for Study/Research Grant to Ireland

Cassidy Joyce is an undergraduate student with a passion for climate studies. They are a current senior at Drexel University pursuing a BS in Environmental Science with minors in Sociology and Climate Change. They have been conducting climate justice research through the Climate Pedagogy Incubator with Steve Dolph, PhD, and Magdalena Maczynska, PhD, as well as research concerning community environmental monitoring (CEM) with mentor Gwen Ottinger, PhD. After studying abroad in Fall 2023 at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, Cassidy was inspired to pursue the Fulbright scholarship to complete their graduate studies abroad. This master’s degree at Dublin City University in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society would allow them to build a global understanding of the climate crisis through a social science lens.

Cassidy has been involved in the Pennoni Honors College through the Honors Program.

Alyssa Kemp
BS/MS environmental engineering ’25, Honors
Study/Research Grant to the Philippines

Alyssa Kemp is a fifth-year student at Drexel University pursuing an accelerated BS/MS in Environmental Engineering with minors in climate change and interdisciplinary problem-solving. Their work focuses on climate justice, community resilience, and equitable infrastructure. Alyssa has conducted research on urban heat mitigation, climate workforce development, and sustainable water infrastructure. As a 2025–2026 Fulbright Finalist to the Philippines, they will work to strengthen community involvement in coastal conservation and disaster planning.

Alyssa has been involved in the Pennoni Honors College through the Honors Program, as a 2020 STAR Scholar and Velay Fellow, 2021-22 Aspire Scholar, SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellow, and an Undergraduate Research Mini-Grant recipient.

Mathew Mitchell
MD ’27
Study/Research Grant to Hungary

Mathew Mitchell is a multifaceted medical student and entrepreneur, bridging the gap between medical innovation, technology, and translational research. His journey, fueled by a personal encounter with the dire consequences of antibiotic resistance, led to the inception of the biopharma startup Organicin Scientific. As a co-founder of Organicin, Mathew has pioneered the development of bacteriocin-based solutions with an emphasis on microbiome modulation for improved health outcomes. He was awarded the Startup Innovation Better Environment Award for his presentation at the UN's FAO World Food Forum, and for his contributions in combating antibiotic resistance and promoting food availability. 

His academic journey is marked by leadership as the Vice President of his class at Georgetown University while pursuing his MS in Physiology and Biophysics, which he sought after earning his BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UMass Amherst. Mathew is currently earning his MD at Drexel University College of Medicine. His Fulbright research will focus on human microbiome remodeling for the treatment of non-infectious disease.

Katelynn Rudolph
BS psychology ’24
Alternate for Study/Research Grant to the UK

Katelynn graduated magna cum laude in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. Since her first research experience as a STAR Scholar with Dr. Chrysikou, Katelynn has been dedicated to pursuing a career as a clinical researcher. She completed her co-op at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, where she worked in the Early Detection & Intervention Core and conducted independent research under Dr. Wieckowski and Dr. Vivanti.

Through her Fulbright study grant, Katelynn aims to deepen her expertise in early diagnostic interventions by pursuing a Master’s in Translational Neuroscience with a focus on Alzheimer’s Disease.

In addition to being a 2021 STAR Scholar, Katelynn has also been involved in the Pennoni Honors College as a UREP Undergraduate Research Mini-Grant recipient.

Kate Singh
BS/MS environmental engineering ’25
Alternate for Fulbright/NAF Fellowship in Flood Management in the Netherlands

Kate is a rising water resources engineer pursuing dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental engineering at Drexel. As a first-generation student, she drew inspiration from the resourcefulness of her mother and grandparents, forging her own path to success as a young engineer. In her professional endeavors, she is highly regarded for her ability to communicate effectively across different backgrounds, her meticulous and thorough work, and her eagerness to learn and grow in her field.

Starting when she was a freshman in the STAR Scholars Program, she has been continually involved in research centered around urban water resilience and has taken two Intensive Courses Abroad to study global challenges in water resource management. While she has worked and researched in a variety of areas including water and wastewater treatment, environmental policy development, project management, and community outreach, she has cultivated skills and found a passion for community-centered flood resilience planning. 

She is currently working on her master’s thesis, focusing on adaptation strategies for intense rain in New York City. If selected, she will use her skillset to research flood preparedness of critical facilities in the Netherlands. In her free time, you would find her baking cakes, crocheting, crafting, roller skating, or paddleboarding!

Samuel Sung
PhD candidate in biomedical engineering
Study/Research Grant to Germany

Sam's interest in conducting research began at the Ohio State University where he applied his physics and chemistry degrees conducting undergraduate research designing PET/CT filters at Wexner Medical Center's Department of Radiology and cataloging inorganic compositions of aerosol particles in the Department of Chemistry. After graduating, Sam worked as a chemist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, DC designing microfluidic optical traps and separating malaria-infected red blood cells from healthy ones. With a growing interest in medical devices, Sam earned his MS from Northwestern University and later worked at a startup as an analytical chemist to engineer a slow-release, long-term anti-retroviral delivery device as an option for HIV prophylaxis. While researching HIV, Sam became fascinated with the immune system and sought to hone his interests and studies by pursuing a PhD at Drexel University's Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, led by Dr. Kara Spiller.

Outside of the lab, Sam's interests can range from reading, running, and woodworking to backpacking, photography, and trade schools. Sam is also a commissioned officer and has been serving as a Captain at 4th Combat Engineer Battalion in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he enjoys training and working with Marines. Through Fulbright, Sam will be researching the development of smarter biomaterials for macrophage-based cell therapy.

This list does not include the honoree who declined to be publicized.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards funding for one academic year of self-designed study, research, creative projects, or teaching English in over 140 countries around the world. 

For more information please visit the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website or email fellowships@drexel.edu.

Special thanks to the Drexel faculty and staff members who worked with UREP during the summer and fall to advise individual applicants, review campus applications, and conduct campus interviews:

Lloyd Ackert, History, CoAS
Stacey Ake, English & Philosophy, CoAS
Pete Amato, English & Philosophy, CoAS
Katie Barak, Academic Programs, Pennoni
Ben Barnett, English Language Center, CoAS
Melissa Bennett, Steinbright Career Development Center
Hande Benson, Decision Sciences, LeBow
Hilary Bonta, English Language Center, CoAS
Resa Brinkley, Steinbright Career Development Center
Susan Brooks, Kline School of Law
Jillian Clark, Steinbright Career Development Center
Laura-Edythe Coleman, Arts Administration & Museum Leadership, Westphal
Fernanda Cruz-Rios, Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, CoE
Lauren Davis, Academic Programs, Pennoni
Casey Devine, Education Abroad, Drexel Global
Erin Durkin, Student Events & Engagement, Dornsife
Kevin Egan, Academic Programs, Pennoni
Barry Furrow, Kline School of Law
Tali Gidalevitz, Biology, CoAS
Caryn Glaser, Biomedical Engineering, BIOMED
Jessica Green, Writers Room
Meg Guliford, Politics, CoAS
Kate Hughes, Advising, CoAS
Valerie Klein, Education, SoE
Emmanuel Koku, Sociology, CoAS
Frank Lee, Digital Media, Westphal
Beth Leonberg, Health Sciences, CNHP
Melinda Lewis, Strategy, Pennoni
Brent Luvaas, Global Studies, CoAS
Celeste Mann, Global Studies, CoAS
Luz Matus Mendoza, Global Studies, CoAS
Julia May, Communication, CoAS
VK Narayanan, Management, LeBow
Constance Perry, Health Administration, CNHP
Greg Probst, Academic Programs, Pennoni
Alex Quistberg, Environmental & Occupational Health, Urban Health, Dornsife
Ramesh Raghupathi, Neurobiology & Anatomy, CoM
Rachel Reynolds, Communication, CoAS
Chris Rodell, Biomedical Engineering, BIOMED
Simone Schlichting-Artur, Global Studies, CoAS
Jocelyn Sessa, Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science, CoAS
Adrian Shieh, Biomedical Engineering, BIOMED
Jeff Stanley, Screenwriting & Playwriting, Westphal
Jessica Tortu, Advising, Dornsife
Nielufar Varjavand, Internal Medicine, CoM
Maria Volynsky, English & Philosophy, CoAS
Julia Wisniewski, Academic Programs, Pennoni
Erica Zelinger, Marketing & Media, Pennoni