In 2025, the Global Center funded three undergraduate David E. Albright Memorial Scholars, representing some of the IU Hamilton Lugar School’s top students committed to international issues. Our primary recipient was Zoe Catlin with Zuzanna Kukawska and Julianna Cantrell receiving the honorable mention award.
This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. David Albright, who was a valued colleague of the Global Center and a champion of international studies education both at IU and globally throughout his career. The scholarship is made possible thanks to the generous support of Ms. Ruth Albright. She continues to mentor and support these annual scholarship recipients in the spirit of her late husband. We are grateful once again for her support of these students’ passion for international education.
With more impressive applicants than ever, the Global Center wanted to be able to reward more students with scholarships. The increase in recipients of this scholarship would not have been possible without the generous financial support of Deborah Hutton, retired Associate Director of the Global Center. In these unpredictable financial times, we are truly grateful for allies like Ms. Hutton.
We were happy to honor this year’s recipients at a formal luncheon at the Ferguson International Center. The recipients were able to connect with Ms. Albright while discussing their careers. They also conversed with experienced cornerstones to Indiana University’s pursuit of international education such asJennifer Engel – IU Global Senior International Officer and Associate VP for International Affairs and Education Abroad, John Ciorciari - Dean, Hamilton Lugar School, Eli Konwest - Director, Center for the Study of Global Change.
We offer our congratulations to Zoe Catlin, Julianna Cantrell, and Zuzanna Kukawaska for this honor. You can read their bio's and future plans on our Albright Scholarship website. Applications for this scholarship are now open and will close on March 6, 2026.
Honored guests and scholarship recipients pose for a group photo at the Ferguson International Center during the 2025 Albright Scholarship Luncheon. Pictured from left to right are Miguel Ayllon (Associate VP for International Affairs), John Ciorciari (Dean, Hamilton Lugar School), Denise Gardiner (Director of Finance and Administration, IU Global), Zoe Catlin (Scholarship recipient), Ruth Albright (Scholarship Donor), Julianna Cantrell (Scholarship recipient), Eli Konwest (Director, Center for the Study of Global Change), Jennifer Engel (Senior International Officer, Associate VP for International Affairs, Associate VP for Education Abroad). Not Present: Zuzanna Kukawaska.
FLAS Awards
For 25 years, the Center for the Study of Global Change (CGC) has awarded Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships. These awards are designed to support students in their learning about less-taught languages and cultures, with a focus on their connections to global and international issues. In 2025, FLAS awards granted by our center went to students studying Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, and Russian. FLAS Fellowships from the Global Centers are specifically awarded to students who study less commonly taught languages at intermediate or advanced levels who are interested in international careers representing various disciplines and backgrounds. This year's awards went to students with majors and fields of study in computer science, international studies and law, business economics, anthropology, cybersecurity and global policy, and history. Research interests of our awardees, to name a few, included the intersection of religion and language education, relationships between Eastern and Western countries through literary works, and computer science in the global sphere. Summer FLAS fellowships were awarded not only to students from Indiana University, but also to the University of Texas at Arlington, and the College of William and Mary. When selecting FLAS Fellows, the Global Center prioritizes students studying transnationally and/or cross-regionally, especially those who utilize a global framework to approach their topic of inquiry. We thank our applicants and congratulate our awarded fellows once again on their accomplishments.