Tiziana Capizzi, a doctoral candidate in art history, will research foot binding in Chile. Capizzi’s Latin American heritage inspired her commitment to resurfacing hidden histories of women’s dress that are captured in paintings from the 17th century.  

“In collaboration with Olaya Sanfuentes, an associate professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, I will investigate the fairly unknown practice of foot binding as practiced by women in colonial South America,” she said. “Latin practices during the colonial period have received minimal attention, creating a noticeable gap in the research, so a year in Chile will be fundamental for me to help bring this history to light.”

Benjamin Dobbs — a World Scholars alumnus who triple majored in Spanish studies, Latin American and Iberian studies, and economics — will enroll in Mexico’s Binational Business Program and complete graduate classes at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM). The Binational Business Program fosters mutual understanding between the private sectors of Mexico and the United States through the U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (COMEXUS) by providing internships for experiential learning for talented young Americans who intend to pursue a career in international business

“Being a Fulbright Scholar studying in Mexico is a dream come true,” he said. “I remember looking at this opportunity during my junior year at UD and thinking that it was awesome, but also thinking that I’d never have a competitive résumé to be selected. I hope my experience will help my community recognize that the U.S. and Mexico’s futures are intertwined on a deep economic level, because we need to shape a future that makes dollars and sense on both sides of the border.”

Rachel Roday, an alumna who has honors bachelor’s degrees in marine science and biological sciences and a master’s degree in marine science, will research the behavior of Atlantic cod and fishery management in Norway. After years of hard work and continued curiosity, Roday hopes that her Norwegian research will help advance the understanding of marine life, supporting sustainable fisheries and the communities that depend on them.

“I am particularly interested in research that bridges science and management, directly informing sustainable fisheries policy and conservation efforts,” she said. “This fellowship will strengthen my international research experience and technical expertise, positioning me to contribute meaningfully to global fisheries science, because I plan to continue working at the intersection of fisheries science and applied research with a focus on the anthropogenic impacts on marine species distribution.”

Patrick Stanley, a physics doctoral candidate, is eager to travel to Paris, France, to learn from some of physics's leading experts while conducting research for his dissertation at the Paris Observatory. 

“This Fulbright scholarship will open future opportunities for me to share my experiences and passions with the next generation of students, scientists and engineers,” said Stanley, who hopes to one day become a professor. “My research project involves studying extremely rapidly rotating massive stars, also known as Classical Be stars, to gain a better understanding of where their extreme rotation comes from and how it impacts the evolution and creation of the star itself.”

Charles Walker, a graduate student studying international business, has a long-term goal to build tools, partnerships and coordination systems that help mission-driven communities convert fragmented efforts into shared capacity, economic resilience and lasting opportunity. In Sierra Leone, Walker, a first-generation Liberian American, is looking forward to studying agricultural cooperatives to bring products to market to better understand how communities coordinate in environments where local knowledge and a well-executed plan matter just as much as strategy.

“In Sierra Leone, I will conduct research in partnership with the University of Makeni to study how agricultural cooperatives coordinate aggregation, storage and market access across fragmented systems,” he said. “My project will show how communities can work together more effectively so that the resources they already have can lead to lasting economic opportunities.”

Future filmmaker Joseph Mezzatesta is a graduate student in the joint MBA/International Business program who will travel to Cambodia for 10 months to produce a documentary exploring digital education, digital transformation and the digital divide in partnership with Digital Divide Data, an AI data solutions and model fine tuning company. Mezzatesta’s Fulbright project is inspired by previous travels to Cambodia as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) teacher and Peace Corps volunteer. He was recently nominated for the Delaware Governor’s award for his public service work and his short film, “Tunes to Remember,” produced for the State of Delaware, that explores how music therapy improves the lives of dementia patients. 

“I’m hopeful that my Fulbright experience will be a continuation of strengthening my skills as a global storyteller, allowing me to create films that connect people across cultures and highlight voices that are often overlooked,” he said. “Through interviews and on-the-ground storytelling, my project will examine how access to technology and education can shape economic opportunities and social mobility in underserved communities.”

Chase O’Neal, an alumna with a criminal justice bachelor’s degree, is excited to undertake her English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan, where she will assist teachers with English instruction and cultural exchange activities in an elementary school classroom and supplement this work with community service activities to promote English literacy in her host community. The lifelong Delawarean is looking forward to being immersed in Taiwanese culture while also sharing American culture with her host community.

“Learning and reading about other cultures is impactful, but it is far less transformative than true cultural immersion,” she said. “This Fulbright Scholarship will allow me to expand my impact on others beyond the familiarity of my Delaware community and help me gain a better understanding of myself.” 

Ellery Chudnow, an alumna with a health behavior science bachelor’s degree, will study for her master's in Emergency and Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University in Israel while gaining theoretical grounding and practical training in disaster response and crisis management from globally renowned experts in Israel. 

“I want to bring information back to New York City to ensure that our systems can handle worst-case scenarios,” Chudnow said. “Ultimately, I hope to work at a national level, strengthening the global relationships developed during my Fulbright and sharing lessons from my work with the broader U.S. community through collaboration with community health organizations, universities, national conferences and disaster response agencies.”

Bailey Blewitt, an alumna with a psychology and women in gender studies bachelor’s degree, is looking forward to teaching English in Taiwan. 

“The Fulbright English Teaching Award is a critical step toward those goals,” Blewitt said. “Teaching in Taitung, Taiwan, will strengthen my ability to build inclusive classrooms and adapt to the needs of students. Just as importantly, living and working in Taiwan will deepen my understanding of how culture, community and education shape people's lives. I anticipate this experience informing my future research and teaching, helping me become the kind of educator who encourages students to think critically, engage globally and believe in their own capacity to make a difference.”