UK represented by 7 Fulbright recipients

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 21, 2026) — Seven University of Kentucky graduates have received awards from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad. 

Students who received awards, all from the College of Arts and Sciences, are:

• Maria Carey, May 2026 graduate
• Owen Chesemore, May 2026 graduate
• Gabrielle Drake, May 2024 graduate
• Jack Kolesar, May 2026 graduate
• Jesse Lee, May 2026 graduate
• Kyle Reese, May 2025 graduate
• Eli Smith, graduate student

UK also had two alternates on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program list. Alexander Johnson, a Ph.D. student in linguistics, is an alternate for an Open Study/Research Award for study in Panama; and Eric Sidhu, a May 2026 graduate in international studies, is an alternate for an English Teaching Assistant Award in Moldova.

Maria Carey

Carey, a May 2026 graduate with a dual degree in neuroscience and modern and classical languages, literatures and cultures, with an emphasis in Russian studies, will travel to Estonia as part of her award. Her study of Russian has helped prepare her for that experience, but her main reason for studying the language is personal.

“My mother lived in Russia for 25 years, but she did not have the opportunity to teach me the language after immigrating to the United States,” Carey said. “Learning Russian has become a meaningful way for me to connect with her background and heritage.”

Carey, who is also a Gaines Fellow, said she will continue to study Russian when she starts medical school at UK, an undertaking her neuroscience degree helped prepare her for. She said language proficiency is integral to the kind of physician she wants to be.

“Ultimately, I aim to use my language and cultural knowledge to remove barriers in healthcare and provide better, more compassionate care for those who need it most,” Carey said.

Owen Chesemore

As a Fulbright awardee, Chesemore will make his first trip to the Czech Republic, where he said he hopes to be a cultural ambassador for the United States and learn more about the Central European country. Chesemore, a May 2026 English graduate, said the experience will help further hone his teaching skills.

“The Fulbright program will show me how to create a welcoming and supportive classroom environment, help students develop rhetorical skills and improve my pedagogical approach through the mentorship of English teachers,” said Chesemore, who was also a Lewis Honors College student while at UK.

The Teach for America Ignite Fellow said he plans to immerse himself in the Czech Republic’s culture while teaching there.

“I am excited to learn about the history and literature of the Czech Republic, make connections within the local community and explore the beautiful scenery of Prague and Bohemian Switzerland National Park,” Chesemore said.

Gabrielle Drake

Drake, who earned degrees in linguistics and international studies at UK in 2024, will travel to Spain as part of her Fulbright experience.

“I’m excited to participate in an international education system that incorporates minority language revitalization efforts,” said Drake, who was also a Lewis Honors College student during her time at UK.

Drake’s study of linguistics stoked her lifelong love of languages.

“I was able to expand on these interests at UK and better understand the mechanics of language and second-language acquisition,” she said.

Jack Kolesar

A 2025 UK graduate in international studies, Kolesar, from Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, will spend his Fulbright experience in Ecuador. In May 2026, he earned a master’s degree in diplomacy from UK’s Patterson School for Diplomacy and International Commerce.

Kolesar’s choice to teach in Ecuador is fueled by his interest in Latin America.

“I have a desire to help others and promote education and cultural exchange,” he said. “I also look forward to learning an unfamiliar culture and improving my Spanish language communication skills.”

With his undergraduate and graduate degrees secure, Kolesar hopes to work with an international nongovernmental organization or in the U.S. foreign service.

Jesse Lee

Lee, from Louisville, Kentucky, will travel to South Korea for his Fulbright experience. He graduated from UK in May 2026 with three degrees: political science, psychology and Spanish.

In addition to helping him hone his language skills and deepen his knowledge of Korean culture, the experience will allow him to serve.

“I’m excited to not only connect meaningfully with my cultural heritage as a Korean-American, but also to leverage my background and skillset to help make a tangible difference in the lives of community members,” Lee said.

Lee said he wants to use his trio of degrees to pursue a career in international public service.

Kyle Reese

Reese, who graduated from UK in May 2025 with a degree in foreign languages and international economics, will travel for his Fulbright experience to Uzbekistan.

“This is a really rare chance to experience living in Uzbekistan and actually engage with a community long term,” Reese said. “I will gain a lot of firsthand knowledge of the country and its people that I don’t think would be possible from just studying the country or even briefly visiting.”

Reese picked Russian as his foreign language based on his fascination with the history and politics of Russia and the former Soviet Union.

“I never would have predicted the adventures this interest has led me on,” he said.

Reese said he would like to pursue graduate studies in Russian and Eurasian studies.

Eli Smith

Smith, from Letcher County in Kentucky, graduated from UK in 2023 with a degree in modern and classical languages, literatures and cultures. The Whitesburg, Kentucky, native is continuing his graduate studies at UK, seeing a master’s degree in the same academic area as his undergraduate studies. Smith will travel to Germany for his Fulbright experience.

He developed an affinity for German by chance.

“Friends brought me to a German class during my undergraduate studies and, as I had nothing going on, I decided to go along with them,” Smith said. “Engaging in the class and finding new ways to express myself, along with appreciating a new culture and country really made me happy. I then switched my major to German and never looked back.”

Having visited Germany before, Smith is looking forward to a return trip.

“I want to be able to see more parts of the country that I never have,” he said. “I’m also ready to get into the classroom and to truly work with materials that students learn English with, and to see what the Germans do right and wrong in the classroom.”

During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, individuals will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should visit the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards website to learn about the Fulbright program and other awards.