Jackson School Alumnus Benjamin C. Lee (B.A., International Studies and Chinese, 2015) is among 11 UW students and alumni who have been awarded a 2017-2018 U.S. Fulbright Program Scholarship. His Fulbright Research Fellowship includes a four-month language training in Beijing from late August and then to Nanjing for another 10 months of research.
In 2015, Lee became the first UW student in years to win a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Junior Fellowship, which he undertook in fall 2016.
Kevin Celustka (B.A., International Studies, 2017) was named as an alternate.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs.
We asked Benjamin Lee over the summer about his experience as a Carnegie Junior Fellow, his advice for students and future plans:
What have been some highlights of your Carnegie Junior Fellowship in D.C.? The most unforgettable memory at Carnegie was attending a track two conference in Beijing along with other prominent scholars and practitioners who have studied and managed U.S.-China relations.
What sparked your interest in China? I became interested in China because of my interest in Sino-North Korea relations. Studying abroad in Taiwan during my junior year and undergoing intensive Chinese language training for ten months after graduation further deepened my interest in China.
What will you be researching while on the Fulbright? I will be studying the role of Taiwanese business community in cross-strait relations between 1987 – 1992.
Dream job? Policymaker (defined broadly).
Advice for prospective graduates of international studies? Study abroad!
A book you would recommend? Wonder by R.J. Palacio
