Kelsey Mattingly, a WKU senior art history and sociology major from Louisville, has been awarded a highly competitive Fulbright Research/Study grant to pursue a one-year master’s degree in art history at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom.
Kelsey Mattingly
Mattingly’s research focuses on the response of traditional arts and crafts to industrialization in Britain and America. In past years, only about 5 percent of applicants for Fulbright Student grants to the United Kingdom have been successful.
“After studying abroad at Harlaxton College my sophomore year, I knew I had to go back,” she said. “Pursuing graduate study in this manner will form my degree in a much more comprehensive way than I ever thought possible.”
Mattingly worked closely with faculty advisors and Office of Scholar Development staff to produce a competitive application. Dr. Guy Jordan and Dr. Ingrid Cartwright helped her to develop a proposal that grew naturally out of her Honors Thesis project.
“As my thesis advisor, Dr. Jordan has helped me and given me advice far beyond the scope of my project that will help me become a better researcher,” Mattingly said. “I have been challenged by all of my professors to grow as a researcher, as a student, and as an individual.”
Dr. Melinda Grimsley-Smith, coordinator of International Scholarships in the Office of Scholar Development, helped Mattingly revise and refine her application over a period of several months. When Mattingly was notified of her finalist status, Grimsley-Smith and OSD staff conducted a mock phone interview so she would be fully prepared.
“Working with OSD was vital to applying for Fulbright,” Mattingly said. “Without them, I could not have won this award.”
“Kelsey’s profile is what we’re always looking for in fellowship advising,” Grimsley-Smith said. “She is academically gifted, to be sure, but her international experience, research experience, involvement with extracurricular activities and community service related to her academic pursuits, and engagement with faculty mentors throughout her academic career have made her an outstanding candidate for one of the most keenly competitive scholarships in the world.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.
Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide.
After completion of her Fulbright, Mattingly plans to pursue doctoral studies. With experience working for nonprofit arts organizations, she is open to any opportunities both academic and career-oriented that may arise.
About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping WKU students in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. OSD welcomes the opportunity to work with students interested in national or international scholarships. For more, follow the Office of Scholar Development on Twitter at @WKU_OSD and on Facebook.
Contact: Drew Mitchell, (270) 745-5043
WKU News Blog 
Leave a comment