Ford School alum Ryan Etzcorn talks about his Fulbright experience

February 21, 2019

For the 14th straight year, the University of Michigan tops the list of public university recipients of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. Awarded according to the applicants academic merit and leadership potential, the scholarships fund the recipients’ research for six to 12 months.

While announcing the honor, the Ford School’s own Ryan Etzcorn (MPP '16) was interviewed by Global Michigan. Ryan, who focused on Asian Studies along with his Master of Public Policy degree, is in China to study the social and economic transformations facing the county’s civil society. 

Ryan reflected on his application and scholarship experience, in part sharing: 

“For me, Fulbright always held an aura of unattainability that turned me away from considering it for most of my life. Over time, I started to meet some former Fulbrighters and learned from our conversations that it was absolutely something in my reach, as well as many other students at a top university like U-M, if they are willing to take the leap of starting the application process.

"Fulbright is allowing me to interview foundations, small grassroots organizations, and even government officials to better understand how those laws are (or are not) making waves at the street-level.

"It is a fully liberated mandate to be curious that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Read the original piece by Mandira Banerhee in full on Global Michigan