Alumnus Boosts HPU’s Record Number of Fulbright Recipients to Five
HIGH POINT, N.C., July 10, 2025 – High Point University alumnus Blake Horne recently became the fifth HPU graduate awarded a scholarship from the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program to teach English and earn a master’s degree abroad during the 2025-26 academic year. The university had already set a school record for most Fulbright recipients in a single year when four graduates were awarded scholarships earlier this summer.
Horne, an Honors Scholar and current Master of Business Administration student who graduated with bachelor’s degrees in music and neuroscience, received the English Teaching Assistantship award in Pingtung, Taiwan. Recognized by HPU’s Department of Music as the Outstanding Music Major in 2024, he is looking forward to taking part in Pingtung’s concerts, parades and music festivals as he continues to improve his Mandarin language skills for future collaborations in Taiwan.
Horne said his reaction to receiving the Fulbright Scholarship was pure jubilance after having to wait to find out if he had earned a scholarship after initially being selected as an alternate.
“Once I received the news, I was ecstatic and immediately began preparing for the move to Taiwan,” said Horne, who is from Mint Hill, North Carolina. “I feel that this experience will greatly help me in my music interests by allowing me to immerse myself in the Taiwanese musical culture through attending parades, holiday celebrations and traditional Taiwanese operas, all of which I am greatly looking forward to. The city of Taichung also holds yearly rock and jazz festivals, which I am hoping to attend.”
This year’s Fulbright recipients will live, work and interact with people in their host countries for one academic year as American cultural ambassadors through the U.S. government’s flagship cultural exchange program. In addition, three HPU alumni were selected as Fulbright alternates and may receive scholarships if additional funding becomes available.
“We are so proud of this year’s Fulbright recipients and alternates,” said Dr. James Cotton, HPU’s director of national fellowships and awards. “Their hard work and dedication have positioned HPU to receive a distinction as a Fulbright Top-Producing Baccalaureate Institution in 2026.”
Cotton underscored that the achievements of the eight HPU Fulbright recipients and alternates were made possible through HPU’s outstanding Honors Scholar Program and the unparalleled opportunities offered through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, the Entrepreneurship Center, the Volunteer Center and the Office of Career and Professional Development.
“The person at HPU who helped me prepare for this honor the most was undoubtedly Dr. Cotton,” Horne said. “I am certain that without his guidance and knowledge of the Fulbright Scholarship program, my application would not have been nearly as polished as it was with him guiding me through every step, and I can’t thank him enough for that. Dr. Brian Meixner, professor of music and director of instrumental studies, was also a great help in writing a letter of recommendation for me. Dr. Yiching Liu, adjunct instructor of Chinese, helped me by evaluating my Mandarin knowledge and submitting my skill level to the Fulbright board, as well as writing me a letter of recommendation. Without these faculty members at HPU, my Fulbright dreams would have been all but impossible.”
HPU’s other Fulbright recipients for the 2025-26 academic year are:
Emma Higgins, an Honors Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Yonkers, New York, received a study-research award to pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering at KAUST University in Saudi Arabia.
Taylor Galavotti, an Honors Scholar from Lexington, Kentucky, with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a BS in neuroscience, received an English Teaching Assistantship award in Timor-Leste on the island of Timor in Southeast Asia.
Ethan Muckerheide, an Honors Scholar from Centerville, Ohio, who graduated with a BA in psychology in 2024, received a study-research award to earn a master’s degree in sports psychology at the University of Stirling in Scotland.
Madison Shelby, an elementary education major from Frisco, Texas, received an English Teaching Assistantship award in South Korea.
HPU’s three Fulbright alternates are Nigel Debrito (English Teaching Assistantship in Portugal); Savannah Graver (study-research award in Taiwan), and Cora Hicks (English Teaching Assistantship in Spain.
Established in 1946 by an act of the U.S. Congress, the Fulbright provides students the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. HPU students interested in the Fulbright program should contact the Office of Fellowships and Awards.