SALISBURY — Throughout the years, Salisbury University has been named among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Students.

However, there is still plenty of room for firsts in the Fulbright program. Just ask sophomore Logan Lankford, who is SU’s inaugural student to receive the Fulbright UK Summer Institute Award.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright is America’s flagship international exchange program. The award will allow Lankford, a sophomore health science major from Princess Anne, MD, will spend three weeks this summer studying Scottish history at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

While a student in a health discipline taking an interest in international history may seem slightly incongruous to some, the scenario fits nicely with Lankford’s intention to pursue varied interests and expand her horizons as a university student.

“I love to study other things,” she said, noting she also has two minors, in psychology and health humanities. “My goal for my undergrad is to pursue all of my academic interests before I have to buckle down and focus on getting my doctorate.

“One of the things I really love is history. I want to really explore that, and I chose SU in part because I really wanted to study abroad. Experiential learning is incredibly important to developing your education and just really getting out there and living life.”

She learned about the Fulbright UK opportunity from another member of the SU community with a rooted interest in Scottish history, Dr. Kristen Walton. In addition to serving as the director of SU’s Nationally Competitive Fellowships Office (NCFO), Walton is a professor of early modern British history and a founding member of the North American Organization of Scottish Historians. She also attended St. Andrews.

“I didn’t know this opportunity existed until I walked into Dr. Walton’s office,” she said.

She credits Walton and Dr. Viktoria Basham, NCFO assistant director and lecturer in SU’s Glenda Chatham and Robert G. Clarke Honors College, with providing the guidance that made her winning scholarship submission possible.

“My application would not have been what it was if not for Dr. Walton. She’s a pro,” said Lankford, a member of the Clarke Honors College. “Dr. Basham has always been a mentor to me. She always encourages me to do things like this, which I never would have thought of otherwise. She is very much my cheerleader in my corner.”

(Basham also will represent SU in the overall Fulbright program next spring, teaching and conducting research in Bulgaria as a 2024-25 U.S. Fulbright Scholar.)

In addition to attending class at St. Andrews, Lankford hopes to visit some of the sites where Scottish history was made and learn more about the ties between Scottish culture and the Eastern Shore.

“St. Andrews is really rich in Scottish history, especially the Reformation and political struggles, so I expect to see and learn a lot about that while I’m there,” she said. “There are a lot of Scottish settlements on the Delmarva Peninsula, and I’d like to explore the potential history there, as well.”

She also believes the experience will help her in her planned career as a physical therapist.

“The goal of the Fulbright is to create compassionate leaders and encourage cultural diplomacy, and I think it’s really important, especially when I go to work in health care, to be proficient in working with all types of people and to further develop my leadership skills.”

In only her second year on campus, she already has started developing those leadership skills as a Clarke Honors College ambassador, a member of the Girls on Top of the World student volunteer service organization, and a University Writing Center peer consultant, as well as an SU orientation leader and University host.

And soon, she will have a Fulbright credit to add to that growing resume.

For more information about the SU National Competitive Fellowships Office, visit https://www.salisbury.edu/administration/academic-affairs/nationalfellowships or email Walton at kpwalton@salisbury.edu.