Three Millsaps Students Named Fulbright Semi-Finalists

Joey Lee

January 30, 2025

"Three Millsaps students are one step closer to becoming Fulbright Scholars. Adam Atigh, Abby Henry and Conner Sutton were all named semi-finalists for the prestigious award, marking a significant achievement for both them and the college."

Adam Atigh

Three Millsaps students are one step closer to becoming Fulbright Scholars. Adam Atigh, Abby Henry and Connor Sutton were all named semi-finalists for the prestigious award, marking a significant achievement for both them and the college. Should all three be selected as finalists, that would bring the number of Millsaps Fulbright scholars to 32.

This year, 100% of Millsaps applicants advanced to the semi-finalist stage of the program. The students’ applications were rigorously reviewed by the Fulbright National Screening Committee in Washington, DC, and all have now advanced to the next round.

Selections will be made this spring, the exact timing of notifying finalists varies by country. If selected as finalists, Atigh will teach English in Turkey, Henry will teach English in Taiwan and Sutton will pursue a master’s degree in social sciences at the University of Carlos III in Madrid.

Abby Henry

“Throughout my college journey, I’ve realized that I love teaching and learning languages. I think that makes me a good fit to be a language teacher,” Henry explained. “I want to go to Taiwan to teach English, but also to learn Chinese and become a resource for immigrants in the U.S. This is part of my goal to be a multilingual social worker.”

“Thanks to my mentors and a class on the Spanish Civil War, I came across a group of American veterans—including some from Mississippi—who fought in that war but have been largely forgotten,” Sutton said. “I realized there’s so much more to their story that hasn’t been told, especially using Spanish sources. So I applied for the Fulbright to study at the University of Juan Carlos III in Madrid to get my Masters in Social Sciences while bringing their history to light.”

“I applied for the Fulbright because I wanted a chance to live overseas while working as a public servant,” Atigh said. “The program in Turkey, specifically, is linked to my broader interests in both the Middle East and Eastern Europe—regions with so much ethnic and linguistic diversity and fascinating history.

Connor Sutton

More than 2,000 Fullbright U.S. students pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English in schools abroad each year.

“I’m beyond thankful, elated and relieved,” Henry said. “I want to be a Fulbright so badly. I’m trying to keep my expectations reasonable, but I’ve wanted this for over a year, and I’m glad to still be in the running.”

“When I applied for my Fulbright, I figured that nothing would come of it. Being announced as a semi-finalist along with Adam and Abby has been very exciting,” Sutton said. “Hopefully, I’ll be selected as a finalist to carry out the vital work necessary to better understand the American impact on recent Spanish history.”

“This time last year, I was unsure if I would even apply for a Fulbright and seriously doubted my chances as a candidate,” Atigh said. “Reaching this stage of the application process is a serious honor, and I’m so thankful for all of the advice and guidance that has helped me get here.”

Since 1946, the Fullbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students and scholars the opportunity to study, teach and research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build connections and tackle complex global issues.