The Fulbright Program has selected five Michigan State University faculty members and seven students as finalists for the 2026-27 academic year. Two students were named alternates.
Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s premier international academic exchange program. Each year it provides opportunities for exceptional Americans and participants from 160 countries and locations to study, teach and conduct research abroad, advancing knowledge, science and industry through international exchange and collaboration. Fulbright alumni achieve distinction and are recognized as leaders in government, business, science, technology, research, education and the arts.
“Congratulations to the impressive group of MSU scholars and students offered Fulbright Program awards for the coming academic year,” said MSU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Laura Lee McIntyre. “The inquiry and innovation represented in their projects exemplify the university’s longstanding commitment to global engagement — and to our founding mission to advance knowledge and transform lives.”
The five MSU scholars who will receive Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards for academic year 2026-27 are as follows:
- Andrew Finley, professor, Department of Forestry, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Austria)
- Kyung-Hwan Han, professor, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Brazil)
- Md “Monir” Moniruzzaman, associate professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Social Sciences (Bangladesh)
- Mojgan Nejad, associate professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Sweden)
- Cholani Weebadde, associate professor, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Sri Lanka)
Finley will be based at BOKU University in Vienna, Austria, working on forest management.
“I’ve been working with colleagues and students at BOKU University in Vienna for several years, but almost all the collaboration has been remote. The Fulbright felt like a chance to take a really productive partnership and make it more meaningful — to be there, working side-by-side, getting to know the students and faculty, and build something together,” Finley said.
The university also has seven students participating in the Fulbright Student Program during the 2026-27 academic year. The following students have been awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships.
- Catelyn Arnold, B.A. ‘26, of Hingham, Mass., College of Social Science and Honors College (Korea)
- Jillian Bonczewski, B.A. ’26, of Larksville, Pa., College of Education (Spain)
- Natalie Harmon, B.A. ’24, of Fenton, Mich., James Madison College, M.A. ’26 Carnegie Mellon University (Brazil)
- Belma Hodzic, B.A. ’25, of Grand Rapids, Mich., James Madison College and College of Social Science and Honors College (Turkey)
- Hannah Faye Nassar, B.A. ’24, of Birmingham, Mich., James Madison College and Honors College (Taiwan)
- David Rabinkov, B.A. ’26, of Flint, Mich., James Madison College and College of Arts and Letters (Azerbaijan)
- Melissa Rich, master’s student in TESOL, College of Arts and Letters (Montenegro)
Two additional students were named alternates for Fulbright Study/Research Awards:
- Manvir Bamrah, of Jackson, Mich., master’s student in Global Health Studies in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and B.S. ’25, Lyman Briggs College (Malawi)
- Jovana Nagj, of Clinton Township, Mich., B.A. ‘26, James Madison College and B.S. ‘26, College of Social Science (Serbia)
Rabinkov, who triple majored in international relations, comparative cultures and politics, and Russian, is thrilled to have an opportunity to teach English in Azerbaijan.
“During my first year at MSU I attended an education abroad fair James Madison held. I spoke to a Fulbright alum about the program, and it seemed pretty interesting to me. I called my mom to tell her about it then, so I always knew that I would apply for it,” said Rabinkov. “Azerbaijan is one of the only partially Russian-speaking countries that Fulbright is available in, so that made it enticing to me.”
Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and partner institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program.
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world and have included 44 heads of state or government, 63 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, 83 MacArthur Fellows and countless leaders all sectors and industries across the United States and around the world.
“Academic exchange through programs like Fulbright remains one of the most powerful ways we can build trust, deepen understanding, and create opportunities across borders,” said Titus Awokuse, vice provost and dean for International Studies and Programs at MSU. “Spartan Fulbrighters advance those collaborations with intellectual purpose and genuine openness, coupling their academic interests with the kind of care and curiosity that can only come from human connection.”
Applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program at MSU are supported by Joy Campbell, MSU’s Fulbright Program Liaison. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit the program website.