Elevating potential: Coe College’s national fellowship culture drives distinguished student achievements
At Coe College, the path to a prestigious national fellowship or scholarship is engineered through a dedicated ecosystem of expertise and mentorship. This commitment to fellowship culture and assisting students leveled up when both Assistant Professor of Sociology Alissa Boguslaw and Alma A. Turechek Professor of Music Bill Carson were named Fulbright specialists. The appointments serve as powerful testaments to the caliber of faculty who mentor Coe students and the robust resources available on campus to help the Coe community secure world-renowned honors.
The Fulbright specialist program is the United States government’s flagship international exchange initiative, connecting top-tier faculty scholars with global institutions to tackle critical short-term projects. Boguslaw and Carson expect to be matched with an international institution where they can directly impart their wisdom and experience on that campus. The academic collaborations they would take part in tend to involve activities such as program development, capacity-building and curricular innovation.
“Being selected to the Fulbright program roster recognizes a scholar’s expertise and contributions to the field, so it’s a really big honor,” Coe College Provost Angela Ziskowski explained.
For Boguslaw, being selected to the Fulbright specialist roster is more than a personal milestone; it is a recognition of expertise that will directly benefit Coe students.
“The collaborative nature of the program means that we will establish a structured and sustained partnership with an international institution. This will strengthen Coe’s global engagement, positioning us as a leader among small colleges in international experiential learning,” Boguslaw said.
The same goes for Carson. While it’s a significant personal achievement, he also adopts a longer view in considering how his potential experiences might benefit Kohawks.
“I am honored to be on the roster of specialists,” Carson said. “If I am matched with a project, the experience I get from observing music teaching in another culture will strengthen my teaching here at home.”
For prospective students, this means learning from professors who are not only masters of their craft but are also actively shaping global education. Boguslaw’s work, for example, focuses on connecting academic learning with civic engagement and professional development — skills that are essential for students looking to capitalize on their educational goals in a competitive global market. It works well for Kohawks as nearly 100% of reporting Coe graduates are either employed, continuing their education, enlisted in the military or volunteering full-time within nine months of graduation. The latest national average is 85%.
What also sets Coe apart is the hands-on support provided to those pursuing prestigious awards. The Fulbright specialist applications were fueled by the guidance of Henry and Margaret Haegg Associate Professor of English Amber Shaw, Coe’s national fellowship advisor. Shaw’s role is part of a broader institutional effort to provide Coe students and faculty with the tools needed to obtain fellowships that might seem out of reach at other institutions.
This culture of mentorship ensures that when Coe students apply for national fellowships like the Fulbright, Rhodes or Goldwater scholarships, they aren't doing it alone. They have a dedicated advisor and a network of faculty who have successfully navigated these same rigorous processes. In the past five academic years, 17 Kohawks have earned national scholarships or fellowships, including recipients of the Fulbright, Gilman, Goldwater and Rhodes awards.
Faculty success in the fellowship area, like Boguslaw and Carson are experiencing, translates back into student achievement. The impact of their Fulbright appointments extends far beyond their own research and travels. By bringing back insights from international collaborations like Boguslaw’s work with Kosovo during the Global Pathways program and Carson’s overseas music tours, they enrich the Coe classroom with real-world, high-impact teaching practices.
Shaw emphasizes that this level of faculty achievement is a primary asset for the college.
“Their success is a testament to the strength of Coe's faculty and evidence that our teacher-scholars will be competitive for these kinds of awards,” Shaw explained. “The Fulbright applications reflect the incredible ways that Coe student experiences are built both inside and outside of the classroom.”
For students and parents considering next steps in the college search, the message is clear: Coe College provides a level of expertise and resource-sharing that adds depth to your education, all while maintaining the personalized attention of a small college.
By choosing Coe, students are entering a community where excellence is supported and celebrated — preparing them to lead and succeed on any stage of their choosing.