From studying and teaching abroad to conducting biology research, four University of Dayton students and a recent graduate are living their dreams after winning nationally competitive fellowships.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Callie LasCasas graduated in May from UD’s pre-K to fifth grade education program with a certificate to teach English to speakers of other languages. She earned a Fulbright English teaching assistantship to the Czech Republic, where she will live and work for 10 months.
“Going to a whole new country, not knowing their language will help me better connect with my students and understand some of what they’re going through,” she said. “It’s hard to learn a new language in a new place, so I hope to put myself into their shoes.”
Laura Cotten Howell, director of fellowships and graduate school advising, said LasCasas is the eighth School of Education and Health Sciences graduate to win a Fulbright since 2021.
Goldwater Scholarship
Biology major Ashley Williams earned a 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, which supports undergraduates pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics research careers.
The one-year scholarship will cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to $7,500 for Williams’ senior year at UD. She said it is the perfect launchpad for her to pursue a doctoral degree in human genetics and run a lab in the future.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of being a scientist,” Williams said. “Being named a Goldwater Scholar is a tremendous honor, and it solidifies my commitment to my research that I’ve dedicated my undergraduate career to. I am fascinated by the genetic code, and I want to build a career studying how variations in regulatory regions of genomes influence development and evolution, and how they underpin complex human diseases.”
Gilman International Scholarship
Three University of Dayton students were named 2026 Gilman Scholars. The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad with merit-based funding, providing them with skills to advance national security and economic prosperity.
Larkin Brown, a junior psychology major, is using her Gilman award to study psychology at Radboud University in the Netherlands.
“I chose Radboud specifically for the opportunity to study at its world-leading Donders Institute for cognitive neuroscience,” Brown said. “I have absolutely loved making this place my home for six months, traveling to countries like Bulgaria and Vatican City, and engaging with so many different cultures. It has allowed me to truly become a 'citizen of the world,' not just of the United States.”
Samarra Caldwell, a junior in the business economics and finance programs, is using the scholarship to study in Brazil. She said she was drawn to the country’s diverse population and Amazon rainforest, especially as she explores her identity and sustainability, and how they intersect in the business world.
“There are venture capital funds and investment banks who have this focus now, so there's a lot of groundwork that I could jump right into, but one of the main reasons I want to go to Brazil now is because I consider it selfish to try to impact a place that I haven't visited and fully understood yet,” Caldwell said, adding that she hopes to interact with Indigenous people and cultures while in Brazil. “The hope is to be able to advocate for those communities and be a voice in the world of investments.”
Adelyn Kunos, a junior studying early childhood education, is taking coursework related to her Spanish minor and certification to teach English as a second language. She will use her funds to attend UD’s study abroad program in Segovia, Spain, where she will live with a host family for the monthlong experience.
“I hope to be able to teach in Spain or a bilingual school in the future, so I’m hoping to have lots of practice to improve my fluency and confidence,” she said.
Fellowships and Advising at UD
According to Cotten Howell, UD’s award winners have great diversity in their majors and programs this year.
“The fellowships world gets more competitive each year, but UD continues to put forward great applicants,” Cotten Howell said. “These are unparalleled life changing opportunities for students who otherwise may not have these experiences either abroad or domestically.
“Every student who has reported back to me has said their experience was transformative, eye-opening and helped them to understand both their capabilities and their passions.”
National awards can seem inaccessible, as it did to LasCasas and the other students. Instead they found support from Cotten Howell and others at UD to submit their applications, landing them the resources to turn their dreams into reality.
“I always told my parents that after college, I’m going to go abroad and teach English,” LasCasas said. “It was always just a little dream in my head that I never thought would happen.”
Students interested in learning more about nationally competitive fellowship opportunities can email Cotten Howell at lcottenhowell1@udayton.edu.