US Alumnus Receives Fulbright Scholarship

When University School alumnus Lloyd Anderson '12 arrived at Bowdoin College as a freshman, little did he know that his intention to study government would take a 180-degree turn that would end up becoming a life-changing opportunity.

In his sophomore year, he decided to become an Earth and Oceanographic Science major. Now, two years later, Anderson has received a prestigious scholarship to study oceanography from the U.S. Department of State and the presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Anderson will conduct scientific research at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, for the 2016-2017 academic year. Working with leading scientists in the Marine Geosystems division, he will be involved in a project to reconstruct the timing and magnitude of meltwater runoff into the Gulf of Mexico during the most recent deglaciation of North America, which was nearly 15,000 years ago.

"GEOMAR is the ideal place for this project because it has an unusually extensive repository of sediment cores that represent a library of ocean history," he said. "I'm looking forward to meeting and interacting with the people in my lab and in the city of Kiel. Having not traveled abroad before, I am excited to experience a different part of the world and to share my own experiences with others while I am there."

Anderson, 22, said he decided to apply for a Fulbright because he saw it as a great opportunity to expand both his passion for oceanography and desire to learn from others in a completely new environment.

"The core idea behind the Fulbright -- to send American students overseas as ambassadors to promote understanding and interaction between countries -- resonated with me," he said. "Oceanography is inherently a collaborative and international discipline, so I wanted to bring my own academic drive and spirit for learning and adventure to Germany."

Anderson wastes no time crediting US for influencing his decision to apply for the grant, saying that the purpose of the Fulbright Program parallels his own interpretations of the US motto: "Responsibility, Loyalty and Consideration." 

"At US, I learned to be principled and respectful of people, especially those who thought or acted differently than me," he said. "In this way US gave me a foundation to draw on when I head to Germany and work alongside others as a representative of the U.S."

With only a year of German language schooling under his belt, the confident Anderson reflects on his interpretation of what US taught him, saying, "Take responsibility for my actions and aspirations, remain loyal to my community and to my own principles, and bring consideration toward others in all parts of my life."

Anderson is one of over 1,900 U.S. citizens selected for a Fulbright scholarship. Recipients of the award are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Fulbright Program's establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. Since then, the Program has given more than 360,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.