Two Charlotte students selected for Fulbright UK Summer Institutes

Two UNC Charlotte students have been selected for the prestigious Fulbright UK Summer Institutes and will study this summer in the United Kingdom. Selection in the program is highly competitive; only 42 U.S. students were chosen this year. 

Coral Hatch, a rising junior majoring in social work and minoring in history, will study at Aberystwyth University in Wales.

The program’s theme is “Identity and Nationhood through the Lens of Wales.” As part of her studies, Hatch will take part in local and national events and festivals to maximize interactions with Welsh culture and community. 

For Hatch, a first-generation college student from Winston-Salem, this will be her first time leaving the United States. 

“This opportunity is important to me because it will allow me to expand upon my studies in a new cultural setting and open my eyes to applications of social work practices abroad,” Hatch said. “Additionally, it will serve as a reminder that opportunities such as these are open and accessible to first-generation students, regardless of background or experience!”

Hatch also serves as a Students Obtaining Success peer mentor at the University Center for Academic Excellence.

Austin Stitz, a rising sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and a member of the University Honors Program, will study in July at Glasgow School of Art and University of Strathclyde in Scotland. This program focuses on shaping the future of Scotland as a technological, innovative and creative society.

This will be the first time Stitz has traveled to another time zone. 

“The program I specifically chose focuses heavily on innovations in medical technologies and aligns perfectly with my current plans of pursuing a career in biomedical engineering,” Stitz said. “I am very excited to learn more about Scotland’s past, present and future, and to meet the people and see the places that make Scotland unique.” 

In addition, Breonna Tuitt, a rising sophomore architecture major and Martin Scholar from Charlotte, was a semifinalist for the summer institute.

Since 2016, 17 Charlotte students have made it to the final round of the selection process for the Fulbright UK Summer Institutes program. 

The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are fully funded three- to four-week summer study programs for first- and second-year U.S. undergraduates. This program allows participants to explore the culture, heritage and history of the United Kingdom while experiencing higher education at a UK university.

During the 2022-23 academic year, UNC Charlotte was home to 14 national scholarship and fellowship student awardees including Fulbright, Gilman and Goldwater. The Honors College advises undergraduate students across campus who are applying for nationally competitive awards.