Four Florida State University students have been selected for the 2025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program. These accomplished students are traveling to Argentina, Colombia, the Slovak Republic and the United Kingdom to teach, study and engage in cultural exchange as part of the U.S. State Department’s flagship international educational exchange program.
From teaching English in South America and Eastern Europe to pursuing graduate studies in the U.K., FSU’s 2025 Fulbright recipients are advancing global understanding and academic excellence.
“The Fulbright program is a vital conduit for connecting FSU and the wider world, allowing students to engage in meaningful research, teaching and cultural exchange,” said Keith McCall, acting director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards (2025-2026). “We look forward each year to working with interested applicants and learning about their desire to build a more interconnected world.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s premier international exchange initiative, fostering mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and people around the world. Funded primarily through an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program also benefits from support provided by partner governments, host institutions and private organizations across the globe.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program recipients are selected each year for their academic or professional excellence and leadership potential. With opportunities in more than 160 countries, the program empowers students and recent graduates to teach, study or conduct research while serving as cultural ambassadors for the United States.
“Rania, Isabella, Seth and Amelia embody the values and mission of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program,” said Bonnie Garcia-Gloeckner, associate director of the Office of National Fellowships and Awards. “They showcase some of the best qualities of the US and FSU abroad. We are excited about the positive impact they will make this year and in those to come.”
The 2025-2026 Fulbright students from FSU are: Rania Chehaitli, Isabella DiGiorgio, Seth Kehr and Amelia Rivers.
Meet the 2025 Fulbright Recipients:
Rania Chehaitli, a recent graduate from FSU with dual degrees in political science and international affairs, is pursuing her Master of Laws in Gender and Human Rights at Ulster University in Belfast, U.K., through the Fulbright Graduate Study Award. She will take courses and conduct research alongside faculty at the university’s Transitional Justice Institute, gaining insight on international law and gender inequality in times of conflict.
“Having access to this type of legal history will give me an enhanced perspective on the international system to supplement my American lens,” she said. “The Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University is centered on legal research surrounding conflict and transition periods, essential to the understanding of practical implementation of protections for human rights.”
Amelia Rivers, who graduated with a Master of Arts in musicology this past spring, is teaching English at the Universidad Católica de Oriente in Rionegro, Colombia, through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Program. The program places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classrooms.
“Having written my thesis on joropo—the music of the llaneros—I have a unique opportunity to involve myself in Colombian music culture,” she said. “There is a thriving music curriculum at UCO, and I have joined several bands, choirs, theatre troupes, dance ensembles, and radio classes.”
Seth Kehr, who earned his bachelor’s degree in management information systems from FSU last fall, is also participating in the Fulbright ETA Program. While teaching English at a high school in the Slovak Republic, he is also conducting research on the impact of the European Union’s single market system on growing countries.
“The program allows me to further my passions for teaching and global acceptance as an American cultural ambassador,” he said. “It is an honor to be part of a remarkable group, and we are all bringing to the table unique and innovative ways to make a lasting impact on Slovak students and communities.”
Isabella DiGiorgio, who graduated in spring 2024 with her bachelor’s degree in linguistics and languages, is teaching English to university students in Argentina through the Fulbright ETA Program. In addition to gaining experience teaching at the university level, DiGiorgio plans to reconnect with her heritage while immersing herself in a new culture.
“I’m really excited to work with an older group of students since my only experience has been with children,” she said. “I’m also excited to see where my dad grew up, learn about my family and explore my sense of pride for a country that’s been instilled in me since I was born, but one I’ve never visited.”
Students interested in applying for the Fulbright Program are encouraged to connect with FSU’s Office of National Fellowships or the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards. Workshops, advising, and peer mentorship are available year-round.
If you are an undergraduate student interested in applying for a Fulbright, contact Bonnie Garcia-Gloeckner, associate director of the Office of National Fellowships, at bjgarcia@fsu.edu. If you are a graduate student interested in applying for a Fulbright, contact Keith McCall, assistant director of the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, at kmccall2@fsu.edu.