Seven Alums Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Grants

Sturges Hall (SUNY Geneseo/Mat Johnson)

Seven Geneseo alums have earned highly competitive 2026–27 Fulbright US Student awards in a national competition. The grants fund positions in other countries for graduate study, research, or English teaching assistantships in schools or post-secondary institutions. This year’s results bring the college’s historic total to 65 awards offered to Geneseo students and alums, with 52 coming in the past decade alone.

Five alums have accepted their awards: Jenna Crowley ’26 (Czech Republic), Brian Kenny ’26 (Spain), Sophia Lanter ’26 (Laos), Ayden Link ’26 (Spain), and Griffin Lyons ’26 (Zambia). Cameron Pichany ’26 (South Korea) and Maria Pawlak ’22 (Romania) declined their grants.

Jenna Crowley grew up in Eden, NY, and majored in childhood with special education with a concentration in mathematics as a member of the Edgar Fellows Honors Program. Becoming an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in the Czech Republic will enhance her teaching abilities, cultural knowledge, and responsiveness, as well as “provide the relevant language instruction experience to serve the increasing non-English speaking populations I work with in US schools.”

Practicum experiences in Rochester and substitute teaching outside of Buffalo exposed Crowley to globally diverse populations very different from those in her small rural hometown. “The shared experiences of those I have worked with greatly expanded my understanding of Asian, African, and European cultures and customs,” she says. “I believe there is great value in teaching with cultural competence, and my experiences in the field have escalated my desire to expand my own, particularly the global perspective my time in Czechia will provide.”

After her Fulbright year, Crowley plans a career as an early childhood teacher while also pursuing a master’s degree in English as a Second Language (ESL). She hopes her ETA experience with European teaching methods will help her create a more robust and varied pedagogical approach to her teaching.

A resident of Syracuse, NY, Brian Kenny double majored in international relations and political science as a member of the Edgar Fellows Honors Program. His Fulbright grant covers the costs of a master’s degree in global and international studies at the University of Salamanca in Spain. A Spanish minor, Kenny participated in Geneseo’s 2024 faculty-led study abroad program, Communication and Culture in Spain, where he explored the distinct regional cultures of Galicia, Andalucía, and Madrid.

At Geneseo, Kenny gained professional experience through an internship with the global financial and risk advisory firm Kroll, advising clients on security issues such as protecting their businesses and employees from targeted violence. “I am particularly fascinated by the study of terrorism, and through my undergraduate research on ISIS, I learned that instability in one country can evolve into a worldwide threat,” he says.

After completing his degree, Kenny plans to continue his Spanish studies and pursue a career in global security, with the eventual goal of becoming a counterterrorism analyst for a US government agency such as the CIA or the State Department.

A childhood with special education major from Mahopac, NY, Sophia Lanter was attracted to teaching in Laos as an opportunity to combine her passion for inclusive education with a deep interest in Southeast Asian culture. She is especially drawn to its community-centered approach to learning and traditions rooted in Theravada Buddhism.

“With a background in Montessori education, special education, and university-level instruction, I hope to co-teach interactive English lessons that build students’ confidence and communication skills,” she says. “Working with Lao educators will expose me to novel approaches to fostering respect and cultural identity in the classroom, and by collaborating, we will share adaptable practices for supporting students with disabilities.”

Upon her return, Lanter plans to pursue a master’s in special education, where she will share her Fulbright experiences with classmates and faculty to enrich discussions on inclusive and culturally responsive teaching. “My year in Asia will make me a stronger teacher serving culturally diverse students by equipping me with strategies to support learners with varying backgrounds and abilities,” she says.

Griffin Lyons, a double major in English and sociology from Buffalo, NY, and a graduate of the Edgar Fellows Honors Program with a minor in Black and Africana studies, will spend a year as an ETA in Zambia. Studying abroad in Dakar, Senegal, confirmed her passion for Africana studies and broadened her worldview.

“Beginning this new endeavor as an ETA in Zambia, I want to positively impact the lives that I touch, as well as improve my own person,” she says. “I hope my work will encourage others to critically engage with Africana studies research, dismantle dominant misconceptions, and continue to question inequalities present throughout the world.”

After her Fulbright year, Lyons will pursue a PhD in sociology, expanding her undergraduate research on the perspectives and experiences of Black and African women, specifically in the Zambian context.

A resident of Hamburg, NY, Ayden Link was a global languages and cultures (Spanish studies) and French double major with a minor in European studies. After studying abroad at the University of Cádiz, he was determined to return to Spain as an ETA to complete his training in Spanish language and culture while immersing himself in a Galician community.

Before starting classes in Cádiz, Link spent three weeks exploring Madrid, Toledo, Seville, and Jerez, adapting to Spanish cities and transportation, absorbing Toledo’s multiculturalism, and studying Seville’s Islamic and Roman heritage.

“I am particularly interested in Galicia due to its multilingual environment and ongoing environmental challenges, which parallel community issues I have addressed through volunteer work in the United States,” he says. “My interest in serving as an English Teaching Assistant is driven by a commitment to intercultural communication, language education, and public service.”

After his Fulbright year, Link plans to complete a master’s degree in translation and interpretation to work as a translator in the Buffalo area court system. After further developing his language skills, he plans to enter a PhD program in foreign language education or translation sciences at the University at Buffalo or Binghamton University.

Fulbrights at Geneseo

In eight of the past nine years, Geneseo has been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in its annual article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Geneseo was the first dedicated SUNY institution to be named a Top Producer of US Student awards in any category—bachelor’s, master’s, research, or special-focus four-year institutions.

Seniors and alums who apply for an award through Geneseo undergo a collaborative and supportive internal application process. A committee composed of faculty and staff, some of whom are former Fulbright recipients, reviews applications and interviews applicants, ultimately making recommendations to the Fulbright Commission. This year’s committee members included associate professor of Spanish Lori Bernard, associate professor of biology Mackenzie Gerringer, associate professor of German Cynthia Klima, and study abroad associate director Emily McCrossen.

The Fulbright US Student competition is open to students and alums. It is administered at Geneseo by Director of National Fellowships and Scholarships Michael Mills, who can be reached at millsm@geneseo.edu. For more information about the Fulbright and other nationally and internationally competitive scholarship and fellowship programs, visit Fellowships and Scholarships.