Two Freeman grads earn prestigious Fulbright scholarships

Two A. B. Freeman School of Business graduates are among the eight Tulanians to win 2024-25 Fulbright awards. The graduates will receive grants through the highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the U.S. Department of State’s flagship international educational exchange program, which enables recipients to study for a graduate degree, conduct an individually designed research project or participate in an English Teaching Assistant Program outside the United States.

Since its inception in 1946, Fulbright programs have operated in more than 160 countries and provided more than 400,000 students and scholars the opportunity to learn, exchange ideas and promote mutual understanding among global communities.

Both of the Freeman School recipients were participants in the Altman Program in International Studies & Business, a special four-year dual-degree program that integrates business and liberal arts disciplines, extensive language instruction, and two study abroad experiences.

Joshua Belew (BSM/SLA '24), a finance and political economy major originally from Austin, Texas, will do his Fulbright study in the Binational Business Program in Mexico City.

"In the coming academic year, I will be working in the Mexican private sector and taking classes at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)," Belew says. "During the fellowship, I plan to develop an understanding of the interconnectedness of the U.S. and Mexican economies, working to promote a mutually beneficial relationship in my future career. Additionally, I am excited to explore my personal interest in Mexican literature, learning about Mexican society, history and culture through its rich literary history. " 

Jack DeFraites (BSM/SLA '24), a management and political science major from New Orleans, will use his Fulbright to teach English in Germany. 

"I was lucky to get my top choice placement of Schleswig-Holstein, the most northern state in Germany which borders Denmark," DeFraites says. "Despite still not knowing which city or town I will be placed in, I look forward to my 10-month long position as an English Teacher's Assistant likely at a technician or hospitality vocational school. Though already at professional working fluency, I am excited to sharpen my German even further. A hobby I hope to develop is to learn how to sail on the Baltic Sea."

Last year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs named Tulane a Fulbright Top Producing Institution for U.S. Students, a recognition given to the U.S. colleges and universities that received the highest number of applicants selected in the program that year. It was the second year in a row that Tulane was recognized as one of the top producer of students in the prestigious program.