Quinn Gregory, MArch ’25, has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2025-2026 Fulbright US Student Program. The merit-based cultural exchange program, sponsored by the United States government, provides grants for international study and research, as well as participation in English language assistant programs. Each year, Fulbright offers approximately 2,000 graduating seniors, recent college graduates, graduate students, and young professionals from the United States the opportunity to engage in academic projects, learn from diverse cultures, and work on pressing societal issues.
Gregory received recognition as a semifinalist for a project proposal to study bike theft in the European Union, and he plans to use potential findings to advocate for policies on carbon emissions and transportation safety in both the EU and New York. The project would build upon the research Gregory conducted after receiving the School of Architecture’s William ‘Bill’ Menking Travel Award, which allowed him to travel to Europe to study bike infrastructure in different cities, drawing on his background as a New York City bicycle messenger.
Since Pratt began applying to the Fulbright Program in 1949, it has collectively received 60 grants and research scholarships for study in countries including Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belize, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
In 2018, the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) began advising on Fulbright applications, and Pratt Institute has become a leader in involving students in the Fulbright US Student Program. This February, Pratt was named a “Fulbright Top Producing Institute for 2024–2025,” marking the sixth consecutive year that it has ranked in the top ten of four-year special-focus institutions.
The Fulbright advisor at Pratt is Deborah Yanagisawa, associate director of career development and engagement. “Throughout the summer, we help students and alumni with their applications,” Yanagisawa said. The 2026-2027 award cycle begins on April 29 and the national deadline is in October. Those interested can apply for grants and receive assistance from Melanie Barksdale and Yanagisawa at the CCPD all through the summer and fall semesters.
Previous Fulbright recipients from Pratt include Diana Kokoszka, MArch ’15, for research in Mauritania in 2018; Ali Shrago-Spechler, BFA Painting ‘11, for research in Germany in 2020-2021; T. Craig Sinclair, MArch ’16, for research in Norway in 2021-22; Olivia Noss, BFA Photography ’22, for research in Germany in 2023; Tommesha Holt, MFA Photography ’23, for research in Brazil in 2024; and Lauren Walker, BFA Communications Design ’21, for research in Germany in 2024.
All Fulbright semifinalists are considered by the supervising agency or US embassy in the host country, with finalists announced in the spring.