ASU honors student selected for prestigious Fulbright UK Summer Institute
ASU second-year student Rei Tedoco will study at the University of Birmingham this summer as part of the Fulbright Summer Institute on British Cultural Heritage. Photo by Mingkai Zhang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rei Tedoco is one of only 31 students in the United States to be selected by the US-UK Fulbright Commission to participate in the Fulbright Summer Institute on British Cultural Heritage at the University of Birmingham.
The program is open to first- and second-year U.S. undergraduates with limited international travel experience and a demonstrated interest in academic exploration, intercultural dialogue and leadership. Tedoco is a second-year Barrett, The Honors College student studying journalism and mass communication.
The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are among the most prestigious and competitive summer scholarship programs worldwide, designed to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Participants are selected through a rigorous application and interview process. With a selection rate under 3%, the program is highly competitive.
Since 2010, 26 ASU students have earned a place — making the university one of the top producers of participants nationally.
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Tedoco is a student leader and storyteller with a passion for culture, sports and community. She currently helps lead a culture and sports media network at ASU, and was recently elected student body vice president.
At the University of Birmingham, she will take part in a three-week academic and cultural program exploring how Britain preserves and promotes its national and regional heritage. The experience includes coursework, site visits and cultural engagement alongside fellow U.S. undergraduates.
“I think having the opportunity to study at the University of Birmingham in an innovative city and cultural melting pot is what draws me to it,” she said. “This program will really enhance my cultural awareness on how architecture, music and popular culture can influence society.”
Tedoco plans to document her experience through a journalistic project that highlights the city’s heritage, voices and cultural values. With aspirations to become a community broadcast reporter, she sees this opportunity as a meaningful step toward her professional and academic goals.
“I truly want to document my time in Birmingham and encapsulate the people who live there and the culture of the city,” she said. “As a storyteller, I know this experience will allow me to cover the localities of Birmingham. I want to be a community broadcast reporter, and I know this will allow me to build career development along the way.
Interested?
Students interested in applying for the 2026 UK Summer Institutes can contact ONSA at [email protected]. The next application cycle will open in November 2025.
“I'm a first-generation student, so this experience speaks to me as I know I've worked hard to get to this point."
In addition to Tedoco’s selection, two ASU students — Damian Henderson and Maleah Traynor —were named alternates for the program, and ASU students James Lockerby and Ariana Setchel were selected as semifinalists, marking a strong showing for the university in this year’s applicant pool.
All five ASU students who reached the semifinalist stage were supported by the Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement, or ONSA, which provides comprehensive guidance for nationally competitive awards.
“This year’s applicant cohort was very diverse, comprised of students from a variety of backgrounds, majors and geographic origins, but all shared a strong desire to engage with UK culture and broaden their horizons,” said Laurie Stoff, assistant director of ONSA.
Stoff said that ASU students have historically performed well in the UK Summer Institutes competition.
“Despite the fact that this award is highly selective, ASU students are consistently among the most competitive candidates for the Fulbright UK Summer Institutes program as a result of the university’s inclusive mission,” she said.
The Fulbright Summer Institutes cover major program costs and include a distinctive support and cultural education curriculum, comprehensive predeparture guidance, enrichment opportunities in the UK, and membership in the Fulbright alumni network.
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