UP ranks first nationally for ‘master’s institutions’
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By Caitlin Yilek, Staff Writer -- yilek12@up.edu
The University of Portland ranked first nationally among "master's institutions" for producing students in 2010-11 who earn Fulbright Awards, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. For the past two years, UP has ranked second nationally.
The number one ranking puts UP ahead of Villanova University, Seattle University and Santa Clara University, among others.
According to John Orr, assistant to the provost for fellowships and grants, 24 UP students have received Fulbright scholarships since 2001. So far, 20 of these students landed teaching or research positions in Germany, while the remaining four traveled to Poland, Austria, Peru or Venezuela.
"UP students have such a service record that when they talk about taking on some project somewhere in the world, it is genuine and believable," Orr said about UP's success with Fulbrights.
More students are becoming aware of the grant and what it offers, which is another reason for UP's success in producing Fulbright scholars.
"Another factor is that we have developed a cultural awareness of the Fulbright, so more very qualified students are seeking it out."
"My first year here, we had five people apply. The next year was something like nine; last year was 19; this year was 25," Orr said, adding that UP's German studies program continues to flourish while other German programs across the United States are dying.
"The odds are in our favor for that country," Orr said of Germany.
Of the six Fulbrights awarded this year, five are for English teaching positions in Germany, while one is a research position in Poland.
The Fulbright Award is a grant given to students to go to one of 155 countries. Fulbright gives out 1,500 grants each year, making it the largest granting agency. There are two types of grants: English Teaching Assistantships and Research grants.
