The University of the South Announces Fulbright U.S. Student Awards for 2026-2027
April 27, 2026
Pictured, left to right: Jillian Thurston, C’26, and Emma Steadman, C’26
Sewanee, Tenn.—The University of the South is pleased to announce that two members of the senior class have received Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards for the 2026-27 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Both Emma Steadman, C’26, and Jillian Thurston, C’26, were recognized with the English Teaching Assistant Award, which provides recipients with support to teach English abroad. Steadman will teach in Bulgaria, and Thurston was awarded a placement in South Korea. With these two awards, Sewanee now boasts 64 Fulbright winners.
“Emma and Jillian exemplify the intellectual curiosity, sense of purpose, and global mindedness that Sewanee graduates bring to the world beyond the University’s gates,” says Vice Provost and Dean of the College Jennifer Cooley. “Their selection as Fulbright English Teaching Assistants not only continues the University’s strong tradition of Fulbright recognition, but also affirms how well prepared they are to serve as thoughtful ambassadors—for both Sewanee and for the United States—through this meaningful international exchange.”
Steadman is an English major from El Granada, California. A writer whose work has been featured in Sewanee’s publications and who studied creative writing during a semester away in Dublin, Steadman looks forward to sharing her passion for literature, languages, and cross-cultural exchange with her future students. Sewanee’s Fulbright Review Committee noted that Steadman’s open, fundamentally optimistic approach to this opportunity marks her as one who will make the absolute most of her Fulbright experience. “My future goals revolve around the idea of exchange—exchanging ideas, experiences, and cultures. In Bulgaria, I hope to begin this exchange by learning from a culture with rich storytelling and folkloric tradition that has long bridged the East and West,” says Steadman. “As the world moves closer to globalization, the ability to listen and understand becomes a vital tool in bridging divides and fostering dialogue—creating a more empathetic world.”
Thurston, an international and global studies major from Greenville, South Carolina, was awarded a teaching assistantship in South Korea, where she completed an internship in 2024 as a Freeman Fellow. While also pursuing a minor in economics, Thurston focused her studies on the environment and Asia, and hopes to one day work on sustainable development and food systems in Asia. Thurston was also accepted into the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, and has opted to pursue teaching English abroad via the latter opportunity. “We all turn back into children when we learn a new language—we struggle to express ourselves, the rules are unfamiliar, and nothing makes sense,” says Thurston. “With these experiences as both student and teacher, I know that I will approach my students abroad with patience and empathy as they struggle with learning a new language.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. More than 2,000 U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals from all backgrounds receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards annually to study, teach English, or conduct research overseas. The program has operated in more than 160 countries since 1946. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic or professional achievement, and record of service.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered at the University of the South by Associate Dean Alexander M. Bruce. A listing of previous Fulbright awards and other fellowships and scholarships won by Sewanee graduates is available through the Office of the Dean of the College.
