17 USC Dornsife Fulbright Scholars will study and teach in 14 countries

USC is among the most prolific U.S. institutions with respect to producing scholars receiving Fulbright awards. The university was named among the top 16 producers of U.S. Fulbright students and scholars for 2016-17 by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This year’s USC Dornsife Fulbright Scholars represent 18 USC Dornsife majors and minors.

Ida Abhari graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in both international relations and philosophy with a minor in Iranian studies. She is one of only four recipients selected nationally for the English Teaching Assistantship placement in Azerbaijan.

Bethany Balchunas graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in history. She earned the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan and plans to pursue a career in education.

Stella Chung ’16 completed her Bachelor of Arts in both communication and political science. Additionally, she will graduate with a Master of Public Administration from USC this year. Stella is the recipient of an English Teaching Assistantship to South Korea.

Cristina Gago graduates this year with a Bachelor of Science in human biology with a minor in Public Health and a Master of Public Health. Selected as an English Teaching Assistant, she will teach at a university in Colombia.

Anthony Garciano ’16 holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and social science education. His research will investigate history education as a means to nation-building in the Philippines from 1946 to present-day.

Isaac Gutjahr graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in cinematic arts critical studies and a minor in cultural anthropology. He will begin a 10-month Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in the Czech Republic.

Azmera Hammouri-Davis ’16 completed a Bachelor of Arts in both social sciences (psychology emphasis) and visual and performing arts studies. Azmera will travel to Salvador da Bahia, the birthplace of Capoeira, to study the historical influences of the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

Nitika Johri graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in cognitive science and a minor in international relations. She will serve in Indonesia as an English Teaching Assistant and work with high school students.

Stephanie Kang is working towards a Ph.D. in political science and international relations. She will travel to South Korea to investigate how powerful patrons use military alliances to credibly deter an adversary and restrain their allies from escalating crises.

Jordan Kondo graduates this year with a Bachelor of Science in human biology with a minor in East Asian languages and cultures. Jordan is one of only six graduating seniors selected nationally for the Fulbright research grant to Japan. His project will investigate how the interaction between diet and genetics promotes longevity in Okinawans.

Kathryn Lee ’16 holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and health with a minor in business. Kathryn will travel to Indonesia to investigate environmental indicators of water quality around Bali’s reefs to support local fishers’ livelihood, tourism and healthy reefs.

Alya Omar graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations (global business emphasis) with a minor in digital studies. With the Fulbright Scholarship, Alya will research barriers and potentials for managing and repurposing food waste in South Africa.

Srilakshmi Ramesh ’15 earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics with minors in international relations and statistics. She will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Sri Lanka and plans to become a statistician or economist.

Kyle Roux graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences and a minor in classics. Kyle is one of 11 students nationally to win the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Greece and eventually plans to enter medical school.

Olivia Trombadore ’15 holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in environmental studies. She earned a Fulbright research grant to India, where she will determine if certain communities along the Ganges River are disproportionately impacted by water pollution.

Turner Wong graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and East Asian languages and cultures. She garnered a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan and has also been admitted to the Teach For America Corps.

Jasmine Zahedi graduates this year with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and minors in forensics and criminality and Chinese for the professions. She will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan and plans to pursue a career in the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.