Fulbright Futures Party Connects Current Students and Young Alumni Going to Graduate School

Young Fulbright College alumni headed to law schools.

Young Fulbright College alumni headed to dental schools.

Young Fulbright College alumni headed to medical schools.

Young Fulbright College alumni headed to pharmacy schools.

Young Fulbright College alumni planning to seek master’s degrees.

Young Fulbright College alumni about to being public health master’s programs

Young Fulbright College alumni about to begin public health master's programs.

More than 50 new J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences graduates recently gathered at the Fulbright Futures Launch Party to celebrate being accepted into graduate school and to mingle with current students who are hoping to follow in their footsteps.

The party is a part of the college's Fulbright Futures Career Communities initiative, which is a unique way for students to build skills that complement their academic and career pursuits by customizing their Fulbright College experience to achieve their desired goals.

One of the communities – The Academy – guides students to use their major, minor, electives and personal development activities to develop a research agenda and graduate school application that is worthy of the most elite graduate programs in each participant's field. This career community was a focual point of the party.

During the Fulbright Futures Launch Party, new graduates shared some of their best advice, including:

Candace Brown 
Majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing and minored in history and medieval and Renaissance studies, will be attending University of Arkansas' Master of Arts in Teaching Program for secondary education

"Because of my involvement here, I was able to study creative writing under amazing professors, keep a balanced involvement in the U of A community with the Razorback Marching Band, and study theatre abroad in the United Kingdom, a trip of a lifetime for me! The challenges that seem most impossible, the feats we want to accomplish more than anything are often the things we remember down the road. Go after the challenges, not the smaller or more expected goals."

Molly McKinstry 
Majored in communication, and will be attending University of Maryland to pursue a Master of Public Health with a focus on behavioral and community health

"Ask as many questions as you can and do the things that scare you. My best experiences as a student were the ones that I was nervous to start. I spent a whole summer in England learning about their culture and media. I didn't know a single person on the trip, but adored every minute. Also, take classes that you want, even if you know nothing about them. This is the best time to branch out and find what really sparks passion for you; college doesn't have to be one track."

Jordana Thibado 
Majored in biochemistry, was in the Fulbright College Honors Program and U of A's Honors College, and will be attending Cornell University's Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences for a Ph.D. in biophysics

"Don't be afraid to start going after your goals early. I began conducting research in Dr. Roger Koeppe's biochemistry lab during my freshman year. Although challenging, working in the lab during each academic year and summer has been invaluable in allowing me to develop significant research skills and an understanding of my field that extends far beyond my coursework." 

For more information about Fulbright Futures Career Communities, please contact the Fulbright College Advising Center at 479-575-3307.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.