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Mike Ferlazzo
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Bucknell University Students Recognized

EWISBURG, Pa. (June, 6, 2023) – Two current Bucknellians have been accepted into the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, which is widely recognized as the country’s most prestigious international exchange experience. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright enables American graduate students the opportunity to study, conduct research or teach English abroad via an immersive cultural experience that expands their understanding of the world.

In addition, a Bucknell student has been named a Key Into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society.

Bucknell’s Fulbright recipients were chosen from approximately 10,000 applicants nationwide. They will serve as representatives of the U.S. Department of State in foreign countries during the 2023-24 academic year.

Kendall Robertson ’23
Robertson will serve as an English teaching assistant in Belgium, a location that appealed to her for its position as a European hub and home to the headquarters of NATO and the EU. Her career goal is to work in foreign service and contribute solutions to global issues such as climate change, human trafficking and the refugee crisis. At Bucknell, the history and French & Francophone studies double-major from Westfield, N.J., focused on courses that amplified marginalized voices. She undertook a research project that entailed compiling an oral history of the Lewisburg Prison Project.

“Through my studies, course choices and research, my ultimate goal is to expand and encourage my and others’ empathy,” she says. “One of the biggest problems our world faces is the lack of education about others’ history and struggles.”

She also says Bucknell’s interdisciplinary focus and global awareness helped prepare her for her international experience. “The Bucknell French Department provided me with many opportunities that helped foster my love for teaching languages,” says Robertson, who studied abroad in France as part of the Bucknell en France program. “I served twice as a French 101 teaching assistant, and was given the opportunity to lead a pilot program teaching French to young children in Lewisburg. These experiences strengthened my skills, cultivated my passion for languages and qualified me for teaching English abroad.”

Katharine Cognard-Black ’22
Cognard-Black, a theatre & dance, English — creative writing, and French & Francophone studies triple-major from St. Mary’s County, Md., will pursue a master’s in Shakespeare and creativity at the University of Birmingham’s Shakespeare Institute in England. Her intention is to continue her graduate training in directing and adaptation by pursuing a Ph.D. or MFA in directing or Shakespeare studies.

At Bucknell, Cognard-Black’s research focused on directing, Shakespearian adaptation and devised theatre (when a performance comes together from a collaborative effort rather than a prewritten script). Her senior thesis project, Taming of the Shrew(s), an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, questions how and if Taming may be performed ethically in a post-MeToo era. Her adaptation was performed through the Prison Performing Arts (PPA) project in collaboration with actors from the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Missouri. “I was honored by the opportunity to collaborate with incarcerated populations through PPA, and as a result of that experience, I hope to continue working with similar programs,” says Cognard-Black.

“Learning the techniques of acting, devising and directing under mentors, including Professor Anjalee Hutchinson and Professor Bryan Vandevender, was formative for my understanding and practice of theatre,” she says. “Additionally, studying poetry and fiction under English professors Katie Hays and Robert Rosenberg strengthened my skills as a writer and editor.”

Phi Beta Kappa’s Key Into Public Service Scholar
The Key Into Public Service scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated interest in working in the public sector and possess a strong academic record in the arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences. In addition to receiving a scholarship, scholars participate in a conference in Washington, D.C., that provides training, mentoring and networking and provides pathways to careers in government. Only 20 Key Into Public Service Scholars were selected from more than 900 applicants.

Sam Douds ’25
Douds, a political science and history double-major, hopes to pursue a career as a Marine Corps judge advocate general or a foreign service officer in the U.S. State Department. At Bucknell, he is conducting research on the experiences of incarcerated people in Pennsylvania. “My mentors and support system at Bucknell are relentlessly dedicated to helping me try to make a difference,” the Gettysburg, Pa. native says. “I’m looking forward to making the most of my academic career here at Bucknell and embracing my time in this wonderful community. I look forward to connecting with current and future leaders in D.C. and am excited to learn from them as I enhance my understanding and become an agent of change.”

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Kendall Robertson ’23 hopes to work in foreign service and contribute solutions to global issues. Photo by Emily Paine, Communications

Katharine Cognard-Black ’22 will study Shakespeare and creativity at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. Photo courtesy of Katharine Cognard-Black

Sam Douds ’25