“Having three Fulbright winners in a single year is extraordinary,” said USD President James W. Abbott. “This level of recognition to our students reflects the dedication of our university and its faculty to academic achievement. I am very proud of the winners, and I congratulate and commend them for their success and accomplishments.”

The Fulbright recognizes top students and provides opportunities for advanced study, research and teaching. The program is administered by a board of 12 individuals appointed by the President of the United States.

Breanna Helland of Frederick, S.D., is an undergraduate with a double major in Criminal Justice and Political Science. Helland will use her Fulbright award to travel to South Korea and study the democratic transformation happening there. Her goal is to become a teacher.

Lucia Carlson of Rio Ricos, Ariz., is completing her master’s degree in Political Science. She will travel to Germany to further her knowledge of that country, including building her skills as a German speaker, and as a teacher of English to Germans. Carlson intends to pursue a career in the United States Foreign Service.

Holly Baker of West Lafayette, Ind., is completing her Ph.D. in English at USD. Baker will travel to Romania to expand and enrich her knowledge of that nation’s political unrest during the 1990s and the related crisis regarding children and orphans. She plans to write a novel about this historical event.

Beginning in 1951, 36 USD students have been awarded Fulbright scholarships, and this year’s three winners marks the most in any single year since 1957.

Download an image of the Fulbright scholars.

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