Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Jacob Easley, a junior mechanical engineering major at Mississippi State University, will spend three weeks in the United Kingdom this summer after being selected to participate in the prestigious Fulbright Summer Institute.

The Starkville native is one of 10 American undergraduate students selected to participate in the program. The Fulbright Summer Institute with the University of Strathclyde and the Glasgow School of Art will provide students with a unique perspective on the cultural and political forces that have shaped modern Scotland, with a strong emphasis on its pioneering role as a technological nation. Participants will gain unique access to institutions and professionals, and the off-campus program will take place in a range of locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Scottish Highlands.

“Much of what I'll learn while abroad are the forces that have shaped Scotland's past, especially in relation to research and innovation, and how these forces are shaping Scotland's future,” Easley said. “I hope that experiencing the research and innovation being done in Scotland will allow me to see its relation to the research and innovation being done at Mississippi State University and, moreover, see the underlying forces that make Mississippi State such a successful research institution.”

Easley is the first MSU student to participate in the Fulbright Summer Institute. He said the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College’s Office of Prestigious External Scholarships exposed him to the program. Office of Prestigious External Scholarships Director Tommy Anderson and MSU Fulbright Program Administrator David Hoffman mentored Easley through the application process.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission selects participants through a rigorous application and interview process. In making these awards, the commission looks not only for academic excellence but a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the recipient’s home country upon returning.

“In the 70th year of the Special Relationship, we can celebrate American students seeking study abroad opportunities through our Summer Institute programme,” US-UK Fulbright Commission Executive Director Penny Egan said. “This is a unique opportunity to get a taste of British higher education while interacting with students from across the globe. As part of a diverse and high-achieving cohort, these students will gain immensely from the experience.”

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship program, offering awards and summer programs for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK university. The Commission is part of the Fulbright program conceived by Senator J William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning, and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Award recipients and summer program participants will be the future leaders for tomorrow and support the ‘special relationship’ between the US and UK. For more information, visit www.fulbright.org.uk.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.