Three graduate students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been awarded Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowships: Owen MacDonald (History), Adrian Wong (Institute of Communications Research), and Marisa Natale (History). 

Eight University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate students and young alumni were offered Fulbright grants to pursue international research, education, and teaching across the globe this coming year. The Fulbright U.S. student program builds international relationships to solve global challenges by awarding grants to students based on their academic and professional achievement, leadership potential, and ambassadorial skills. This year's recipients will study and teach in Brazil, India, Spain, and other locations around the world.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Cassandra Osei and Billy Keniston, doctoral students in the Department of History at of Illinois, each applied for the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship knowing that the chances they would win the competitive fellowship were extremely slim.

After months of waiting, however, they were surprised to learn that they both were accepted into the program.