Panetta announces Fulbright recipients

Congratulations to the newly named local Fulbright recipients.

Congressman Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., recently announced that nine outstanding individuals from California's 20th Congressional District received Fulbright awards during the 2016-2017 academic year.

"I offer my congratulations to these nine promising young leaders who are participating in the one of the most prestigious exchange programs in the world," Congressman Panetta stated. "I know that they will continue to inspire change through diplomacy and strengthen our foreign relations."

Created by Congress in 1946, the U.S. Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and works to build relationships between Americans and emerging leaders around the globe. Each year, more than 3,000 U.S. students, scholars, artists, and professionals in more than 100 fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to lecture, study, teach English, and conduct research in approximately 140 countries.

The following constituents from California's 20th Congressional District were granted the Fulbright award:

Carlin Armstrong of Pacific Grove, Mexico; Clara Cushing of Salinas, Czech Republic; Adrea Gonzalez-Karlsson of Santa Cruz, Israel; Anita Joshi of Monterey, Brazil; Fredric Kropp of Monterey; Ireland; Michael Lindsey of Santa Cruz; India; Claudia Luhrs of Pacific Grove, Spain; Iyla Ollinger of Pacific Grove, Colombia; Kenan Sharpe of Santa Cruz, Turkey.