Fellows Will Pursue Projects to Expand Access to Equitable and Inclusive Educational Opportunities in Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Mongolia, and Taiwan
NEW YORK, January 14, 2025 — IIE is pleased to announce the 2024-25 IIE Centennial Fellows as they begin one-year projects to improve educational opportunities for communities around the world. Four projects will each receive $25,000 to support innovative, solution-oriented projects in Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Mongolia, and Taiwan. The cohort also includes the Fellowship’s first-ever dual partner project, with two Fulbright alumni collaborating to empower indigenous students in STEM through aboriginal storytelling and robotics.
The Fellows were selected through a highly competitive process with projects that will catalyze lasting change in education systems worldwide. This year’s theme of education and lifelong learning builds upon IIE’s legacy as a champion of education equity at all levels and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4: to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Additionally, the cohort advances the collective impact of previous IIE Centennial Fellows whose cohorts focused on climate change, social justice, public health, and higher education access.
The IIE Centennial Fellowship was created during IIE’s centennial year to honor the organization’s longtime association with the Fulbright Program and to recognize and support Fulbright alumni whose work embodies the program’s values of mutual understanding, leadership, problem-solving, and global impact. To date, IIE has selected 28 Fellows to carry out projects across the globe, including in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Jamaica, Palestine, and Ukraine.
IIE Centennial Fellowship and Rodman C. Rockefeller Endowments: Philanthropy Building on Fulbright’s Lasting Impact
IIE Centennial Fellows benefit from an endowment privately funded by philanthropy that serves as an enduring legacy. The IIE Centennial Fellowship endowment awards four fellowships annually to support those whose work exemplifies Fulbright’s core principles and values. The Rodman C. Rockefeller endowment—named in memory of the late IIE trustee and international education advocate—is awarded through two fellowships each year.
Follow Fellows’ Stories Throughout the Year
Throughout the year, the Fellows will share their stories and updates on their work through the IIE Centennial Fellowship blog and our social channels. See below for details on the 2024-25 Fellows and their exciting projects as they begin their next Fulbright journey!
2024-25 IIE Centennial Fellows
Gantushig Gankhuyag
IIE Centennial Fellow
The Rural School Leadership Program
Fulbright Foreign Student, 2017-2018
Country of Origin & Location of Project: Mongolia
The Rural School Leadership Program (RSLP) empowers school principals in underserved areas of Mongolia with skills in management, strategic planning, and community engagement to create inclusive, well-resourced, and supportive educational environments.
Hristina Katsipidou
IIE Centennial Fellow
Deaf Youth Innovate for Bulgarian Sign Language
Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 2022-2023
Country of Origin & Location of Project: Afghanistan
The project “Deaf Youth Innovate for Bulgarian Sign Language” aims to empower 35 young Deaf individuals in Bulgaria through intensive workshops focusing on leadership, innovation, and developing Bulgarian Sign Language (BGSL).
Hai and Phillip Pham
IIE Rodman C. Rockefeller Centennial Fellow
Sparky: Empowering Indigenous Students in STEM through Aboriginal Storytelling and Robotics
Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, 2022-2023
Country of Origin: U.S. | Location of Project: Taiwan
Sparky aims to address the underrepresentation of indigenous people in STEM fields by providing a culturally responsive learning experience that integrates engineering and robotics with aboriginal storytelling.
Maryam Rayed
IIE Rodman C. Rockefeller Centennial Fellow
Afghanistan Hub – Afghan Girls Online Education Project
Fulbright Foreign Student, 2022-2023
Country of Origin & Location of Project: Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Hub, in partnership with the Global Co-Lab Network, is an online educational initiative providing Afghan girls with access to English language learning, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities.