Sophomore Chloe Goode has received a competitive opportunity to study at Queen’s University Belfast through a Fulbright Summer Institute in the United Kingdom.

Goode, from Richmond, is the first UR student to receive the award, which is considered one of the most prestigious and selective summer scholarship programs in the world. She is one of 36 students from around the country who will participate.

The program targets U.S. undergraduates who have little to no international travel experience and are unlikely to travel outside the U.S. without financial support.  

“I will be the first person in my immediate family to travel to the UK, and I could not be more grateful,” Goode said. “I would not have the means to travel internationally without the assistance of a program like Fulbright.”

Goode said she’s excited to connect with other U.S. Fulbrighters along with students from around the world who are participating in the summer program.

“We will all be exploring this new setting in Belfast, located in a country shaped by its history of both political polarization and its own interesting customs and traditions outside of the political sector,” she said. “I’m excited to see how learning about all of that in the classroom will translate into my experience of the city.”

Summer Institute participants are selected through a rigorous application and interview process that considers academic merit, leadership potential, and cultural curiosity. Many are low income and/or first-generation college students from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

Goode previously participated in EnCompass, a fully funded UR program that provides faculty-led international experiences for students who are less likely to study abroad. The program eased some of her apprehensions about traveling abroad alone, because she learned to navigate difficult travel situations during her travel to Cambodia.

“My Encompass trip affirmed to me that I am adaptable,” she said. “I was able to learn so much about myself, my travel mates, and Cambodia, and I could not be more grateful for the experience. I am a changed person because of it and am extremely optimistic about the possible outcomes from my next international travel experience to Northern Ireland.”

For the Fulbright summer program, Goode will spend three weeks studying the historical, cultural, political, environmental, and socio-economic factors of Northern Ireland. Participants also engage with local communities and visit political, historical, and cultural sites.

“I will have the opportunity to work with academic experts and a bright cohort of peers from various backgrounds while embarking on once-in-a-lifetime experiential learning opportunities,” Goode said. “This will be extremely enriching culturally, academically, and personally. I’m excited to hear from people with diverse experiences and backgrounds in the classroom and outside of it.”