Alumna Jennifer Carpenter wins Fulbright

J-school alumna Jennifer Carpenter from Raleigh is one of 11 UNC students and recent graduates have received 2009-2010 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards to study, teach or conduct research in other countries.

Carpenter will travel to Albania and work for four months with MJAFT!, a grassroots organization concerned with youth education. Then she will spend the rest of her time abroad creating a documentary film about the identity of Albanian youth and seeking support for governmental and non-governmental organizations working to civically activate young people.

Nationwide, more than 1,450 students were chosen for academic or professional achievement and leadership potential.

The Fulbright operates in more than 155 countries. The late Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas established the program in 1946 to build mutual understanding among people of the United States and the rest of the world.

The Fulbright program is sponsored by the U.S. department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. At UNC, it is administered by the Center for Global Initiatives.

"The Fulbright program is one of the largest and most prestigious international exchange programs in the world," said Tripp Tuttle, program officer and Fulbright program adviser. "It gives our graduating seniors and graduate students nine- to 12-month fully funded international opportunities that will truly change their lives."