The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study or research projects and offers opportunities for students to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study and operates in more than 140 countries. 

Originally from Somerset, New Jersey, in the United States, Ahmed is the Global Vice President of the NYUAD Student Government and is currently majoring in Political Science with minors in Religious Studies and History. She will graduate this month and begin her studies at McGill University in the fall. 

Commenting on the award, Ahmed said: "As the current global political climate continues to undergo rapid transformation, the development of a more nuanced understanding of Canadian and American Muslims' experiences is crucial for academics and policymakers alike. The Fulbright grant facilitates my involvement in this meaningful undertaking."
Hu grew up in Hong Kong and attended high school in the U.S. She was formerly an editor-in-chief of NYUAD's student newspaper, The Gazelle, and has held internship positions at Al Jazeera and CNN Abu Dhabi. She will also be graduating this month with a major in Literature. 

Hu said: "Having studied abroad in Morocco as a junior at NYUAD, I'm really looking forward to returning and re-connecting with the people I met there. I'm also grateful to the professors of NYUAD's Arabic Studies Department, who have instilled in me an enthusiasm for Arabic since my freshman year. What I learned from them allowed me to take advantage of my experience abroad, and will be extremely useful when I return."

Upon completion of her Fulbright studies at McGill University, Ahmed intends to attend law school in the U.S. She ultimately hopes to work in the non-profit law sector particularly in the realm of civil rights and liberties in an effort to effect positive change for Muslims in the U.S. and Canada. 

Hu plans to spend the summer after graduating from NYUAD continuing her studies of the Arabic language. After completing her research in Morocco she hopes to enroll in a dual International and World History program through Columbia and the London School of Economics (LSE). 

Notable U.S. Student Fulbright alumni include ambassadors, members of U.S. Congress, judges, university presidents, artists, professors, and journalists. For more information about the U.S. Student Fulbright program visit: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/fulbright-us-student-program