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Philosophy Major Adley Schwartz, ’25

Eight Macalester graduates receive 2025 Fulbright awards including Philosophy Major Adley Schwartz ’25

Recent Macalester graduates Audrey Hartmann ’25, Cecilia (Ceil) Maus-Conn ’24, Adrian Riesgo ’25, Simon (Adley) Schwartz ’25, Grace McDonough ’24, and William Chapman-Renaud ’25 have received Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards for the 2025-2026 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. In addition, Ryan Connor ’25 and Anna Jensen ’25 received USTA-Fulbright awards.

As Fulbright participants, all recipients will study, conduct research, and teach abroad for the 2025-2026 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program or related Fulbright partnerships abroad. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and/or professional achievement, and record of service. As Fulbright alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 42 who have served as a head of state or government.

Five students received awards for English Teaching Assistantships:

  • Audrey Hartmann ’25 will teach English in Spain
  • Cecilia (Ceil) Maus-Conn ’24 will teach English in Taiwan
  • Adrian Riesgo ’25 will teach English in South Korea
  • Simon (Adley) Schwartz ’25 will teach English in Guatemala
  • William Chapman-Renaud ’25 will teach English in Germany

One student received a Study/Research grant:

  • Grace McDonough ’24 will conduct research in Ireland

Two students received USTA-Fulbright awards:

  • Ryan Connor ’25 and Anna Jensen ’25 will teach English in Austria.

Additionally, a record 18 out of 29 applicants from Macalester were named semifinalists.

“These eight students carry on a proud tradition at Macalester, which is a top-producer of Fulbright recipients,” said President Suzanne Rivera. “We wish them well as they take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to experience the world and build bridges across cultures.” 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. 

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered at Macalester through Dr. Brigetta (Britt) Abel, Director of Writing and the MAX Center.

Infinite connections

Nicole Higgins ’23 (St. Paul) received the Jakob Laub Prize, a cash prize awarded to an advanced Macalester student for an exemplary paper or honors thesis in the philosophy of science, including mathematics. “I always like to tie mathematics into my philosophy papers, since that’s how my brain defaults to understanding the world,” said Higgins, a double major in philosophy and applied math. “I was ecstatic to be recognized — especially for my overlapping interests.”

maccolades april 2022

Philosophy Professor Diane Michelfelder published a new book called Test-Driving the Future: Autonomous Vehicles and the Ethics of Technological Change. Political Science Professor Patrick Schmidt wrote one of the chapters with Macalester graduate Jeremy Carp ’12.