Largest cohort of Texas State University students and alumni selected as semifinalists for 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Student Experience

Kelly Raaz | January 27, 2023

Fourteen Texas State University students and recent alumni have been recommended by the Fulbright National Screening Committee as semifinalists for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program’s 2023–2024 award year. This is the largest-ever group of semifinalists for Texas State.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement.

Undergraduate students:

• Christian Gaston – Bachelor of Arts, international studies (European studies); minor in English
• Trey Gruber – Bachelor of Arts, Spanish; minors in French and Honors

Graduate students:

• Keegan Beane – Master of Arts, anthropology (biological) 
• Gadi McDonald – Master of Public Administration
• Ella Pedrozo – Master of Music, music composition
• Andy Pinon – Ph.D., geography 
• Lila Ramos – Master of Arts, adult, professional, and community education (adult ESL)
• Alejandra Sanchez – Master of Arts, international studies 
• Mark Shaw – Master of Business Administration (international business); minor in Spanish
• Olivia Vance – Master of Arts, Spanish 

Alumni:

• Luz Elena Anaya Chong – Bachelor of Arts, international studies; minors in German and economics
• Aaron Sturk – Bachelor of Arts, sociology; minor in international studies
• Teri Edwards – Master of Science, geography 
• Andrea (Andi) Ivins – Master of Music, music composition  

Finalist announcements for the 2023–2024 Fulbright U.S. Student Program will begin in March and continue through the spring.