By Brandon Fey, News Editor
Three recent Gettysburg College graduates have been awarded prestigious 2025 Fulbright grants from the Fulbright Program, administered by the United States Department of State, that will support their research and teaching experiences abroad. These honorees include Joe Accetta ’20, Gracie Meisner ’25, and Emily Suter ’25.
Founded in 1946 after having been introduced by Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program aims to foster diplomacy and international exchange by sending American scholars to teach, study, and conduct research in what are now 160 foreign countries. Since the program began, a total of 45 Fulbright grants have been awarded to Gettysburg College students, with six from the past two years.
“This year’s Fulbright applicants were an incredibly motivated, intelligent, and inspired bunch, and it was a great pleasure to mentor them through the application process,” said Professor of German Studies Professor Richard “Tres” Lambert, who serves as the Faculty Coordinator of Scholarships and Fellowships. “The competition this year was unprecedented in many ways, and all of our students—finalists, semifinalists, and applicants alike—should feel exceptionally proud of the applications that they submitted. These students are true ambassadors of our mission, and their successes reflect the positive response that an education from Gettysburg College receives on national and global stages.”
Each of the Gettysburg recipients has received a grant to teach/research in a German-speaking country.
Joe Accetta ’20 from Cranston, Rhode Island, received a Fulbright Teaching Assistant (ETA) award for teaching in Germany after having majored in history and German studies at Gettysburg College.
Gracie Meisner ’25 from Natick, Massachusetts, was also selected for a Fulbright Teaching Assistant (ETA) award in Germany. At Gettysburg, she majored in German studies, public policy, and sociology.
Emily Suter ’25 from Allentown, Pennsylvania, was awarded a Fulbright Combined Grant for Teaching and Research in Austria. Her Gettysburg majors were in history and German studies with a minor in political science.
In addition to the three grant recipients, four other Gettysburg students from last year’s application cohort were named Fulbright semifinalists. They include Patrick Artur ’24, Kenzie McKowen ’23, Vivek Rallabandi ’25, and Joseph Zimbler ’25.
“Once again, students with strong backgrounds in international area studies and languages continue to lead the way when it comes to winning these kinds of grants,” said Lambert. “That underscores not only the value of a comprehensive liberal arts education, but also the unique strengths in international and global education that students can expect at Gettysburg College.”
