UNCSA students receive Fulbright-related awards
Several students from UNCSA are recipients of Fulbright-related awards. This year makes the third year in a row that multiple UNCSA students have been awarded Fulbright-related awards during the same academic year. The program funds American students’ ability to study, conduct research or teach abroad through a diverse range of awards and academic disciplines.
“We’re incredibly proud of our students as they prepare to step into their professional journeys,” said Rachel Williams, dean of the Division of Liberal Arts. “Being recognized by such a prestigious organization speaks volumes about the quality of education at UNCSA. We’re excited to see the meaningful impact our students will go on to make through these opportunities.”
Recent School of Music graduate Baron Thor Young (B.M. ’25) is the recipient of the U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Program grant to Germany and was also accepted into the US Teaching Assistant (USTA) Program in Austria. Recent Music graduate Caleb Horner (B.M. ’25) was also accepted into the USTA Program in Austria, and Music alumnus Onyx Velez (B.M. ’24) was awarded a second year in the program, with placement at the Academy of the Vienna Boys’ Choir.
Baron Thor Young, UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, Conducted by Robert Franz, Sept 30/ Photo: Wayne Reich
“I am most excited to see the inner workings of another country’s education system,” said Young. “I want to bring all the best aspects of Austrian education back to the U.S. and I will bring the best I have to offer to their classrooms. I am also excited to play music with some good musicians and have so many ideas for music projects and people I want to collaborate with.”
“It is wonderful to see what our students’ work and interest in German Studies at UNCSA can lead to after graduation,” said Professor of German Studies Hans Gabriel. “The German-speaking world offers tremendous work, study and life opportunities for our students, and it is exciting as a faculty member in the Division of Liberal Arts and German Studies to be able to help prepare our students to take advantage of these opportunities in their arts and their lives. I couldn’t be happier or more proud — for them and for UNCSA.”
In total, four UNCSA students reached the semifinalist stage for the U.S. Fulbright Program this year, with proposed placements in Germany, Canada, Kenya and Nigeria. Among the U.S. Fulbright semifinalists are several recent graduates including Music alumna Hannah Mufuka (B.M. ’25), School of Drama alumna Jamilah Muhammad (B.F.A. ’25) and School of Filmmaking alum Busola Adeboyejo (B.F.A. ’25), who were all recognized for their compelling proposals.
For example, Mufuka's proposed project, “Anishinaabe Soundscapes,” is about the collection of Indigenous communities across the U.S. and Canadian border and is focused on creating an auditory experience for Canadian parks. It retells the stories shaping Anishinaabe beliefs and their relationship with the Earth.
“The goal is to calmly educate park-goers about the environment and the Anishinaabe worldview, encouraging them to embrace their love for the Earth,” Mufuka said. “After Fulbright, this piece would travel to U.S. parks, continuing the journey of education and connection.”
Led by Fulbright Director Andrew Britt, UNCSA’s Fulbright Committee includes faculty from across the five conservatories and the Division of Liberal Arts: Michael Alvarez, Hans Gabriel, Martha Golden, Shahin Gorgani, Anson Koch-Rein, Steven LaCosse and Endalyn T. Outlaw.
More about the U.S. Fulbright Program
Since 1946 the Department of State’s Fulbright Program has been the flagship international educational exchange opportunity sponsored by the U.S. government. The U.S. Student Fulbright Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. Applicants pursue one of three categories of awards, including English Teaching Assistantships and Creative & Performing Arts through the Open Study/Research Award track, in which applicants propose their own independent projects of research and study. Students and alumni are eligible to apply.
More on Fulbright Austria’s US Teaching Assistant (USTA) Program
Since 1962, Fulbright Austria has been responsible for selecting U.S. citizens to spend a paid year abroad in Austria assisting in the teaching of American English language and U.S. culture. Selection criteria include German language proficiency, cultural awareness, and a demonstrated interest in linguistic and cultural exchange as well as modeling and teaching U.S.-English language and culture. Selected students will spend the upcoming academic year at an Austrian secondary school or schools as a teaching assistant, a position they can apply to extend for a second year.
June 02, 2025