MILLS COLLEGE NAMED A TOP PRODUCER OF 2006-07 FULBRIGHT AWARDS

One of only 31 Bachelor’s Institutions Selected by Chronicle of Higher Education

Oakland, CA - Mills College has been recognized in this week’s Chronicle of Higher Education (10/20/06) as one of the top producers of Fulbright awards in 2006-07. Selected among bachelor’s degree granting institutions nationwide, Mills is among only 31 colleges included in the rankings.

This year’s Mills College Fulbright scholars are:

·        Rufiena Jones (Class of 2003, majored in media studies and sociology), awarded a Fulbright grant to teach English as a Foreign Language in Thailand;

·        Rachel Niec (Class of 2006, chemistry and biology, with a minor in mathematics) received a Fulbright grant in Medical Sciences in Bali, Indonesia

·        Tara Rodgers (Class of 2006, MFA in Electronic Music and Recording Media) received a Fulbright grant in the Communications Department at McGill University, Montreal.

"We are delighted that Mills is recognized for our outstanding scholars who benefit from a world-class teaching faculty, innovative, rigorous academics, and our unwavering focus on developing the next generation of socially responsible leaders,” said Janet L. Holmgren, Mills President. “For many years, we have received Fulbright grants at rates equivalent to those at Ivy League institutions because Mills women are among the country’s leading undergraduate scholars, and our faculty members are committed to their academic success from the moment they begin their studies.”

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program equips future American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in increasingly global environment by funding one academic year of study or research abroad, to be conducted after graduation from an accredited university.  

Under this program, almost 1,300 American students in over 100 fields of study have been offered grants to study, teach English, and conduct research in more than 120 countries throughout the world beginning this fall. Of the grantees, 40 were also recipients of a new supplemental Fulbright Critical Language Enhancement Award, through which they can study to become fluent in languages deemed "critical" under the National Security Language Initiative.      

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Financial support is provided by an annual appropriation from Congress to the Department of State, with significant contributions from participating governments and host institutions in the United States and abroad.  The presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board formulates policy guidelines and makes the final selection of all grantees.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges.

This year, the Washington Monthly College Rankings (September 2006) named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

PRESS CONTACT:
Deborah Dallinger
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925.788.9131