Recent University of Michigan graduates Hannah Feng and Genevieve Welch are halfway through their nine-month Fulbright programs in Canada and Hungary.
Feng is conducting innovative research on youth mental health in collaboration with the Vancouver Island Counseling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees and the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Welch is pursuing a part-time nondegree program in choral conducting at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest.
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Their projects highlight the transformative power of mental health advocacy and music in bridging cultural divides and addressing pressing social issues.
Feng and Welch are among 12 students from U-M’s Ann Arbor campus who were awarded Fulbright grants for the 2024-25 academic year, and 10 faculty scholars on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses who will conduct research abroad for up to 12 months.
“We are truly honored and delighted to share in honoring U-M’s extraordinary Fulbright students and faculty scholars,” President Santa J. Ono said. “Through their relentless excellence and brilliance, and their lasting commitment to service, leadership and life-changing education, they are demonstrating again why the Fullbrights are among the most prestigious recognitions made in academia.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, it has provided more than 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. They exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections and work to address complex global challenges.
U-M has received more than 600 U.S. faculty scholar awards and more than 1,000 U.S. student awards since the Fulbright Program’s inception, according to the International Institute’s Fellowships & Grants Office.
Addressing climate and energy
Omolade Adunbi, a professor of anthropology and of Afroamerican and African studies, is among the U-M scholars who were awarded Fulbright grants.
He is currently on sabbatical from his role as director of the African Studies Center while serving as a Fulbright scholar in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.
His research focuses on energy and climate change in Nigeria, examining the intersection of technology, social media, environmental advocacy, infrastructural development and China’s role in the region.
“Ibadan has the oldest anthropology department in Nigeria and seeing students’ enthusiasm for the discipline gives me hope that anthropology, despite its colonial baggage in Africa, has a bright future,” Adunbi said.
“My research on climate change has been eye-opening, revealing the devastating effects of shifting weather patterns on agriculture and communities. However, I am also encouraged by the resilience of the people and their determination to combat climate change.”
Tackling mental health stigma
Feng’s study examines a peer mental health ambassador program aimed at reducing stigma and improving help-seeking behaviors among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada.
As global migration increases, newcomer youth face trauma, cultural adjustment and discrimination. Feng’s research explores how peer support fosters resilience, reduces isolation and promotes mental health discussions in diverse communities. By tracking participants over time, her findings will help shape long-term mental health solutions for immigrant and refugee communities.
“Mental health stigma is one of the greatest barriers preventing newcomer youth from seeking the support they need,” said Feng, a 2024 U-M graduate in international studies and psychology. “Through this research, I hope to demonstrate how peer-led interventions can create meaningful change in their lives and help shape policies prioritizing mental well-being.”
Feng’s work builds on her previous research in immigration psychology and mental health advocacy. Her collaboration at the Vancouver Island Counseling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees and the University of Victoria will ensure the study is designed and empirically validated. Following the Fulbright period, VICCIR plans to sustain and expand the youth ambassador program, with the potential for nationwide adaptation.
“My goal is to become a mental health practitioner, researcher and advocate for expanding mental health access and minority representation in psychology,” Feng said. “I hope my Fulbright can create a strong foundation in my community-based participatory research skills, develop my clinical competencies and help me become a more thoughtful and socially aware mental health practitioner moving forward.
“I also hope to serve as a cultural ambassador of the U.S. in a time where cultural exchange, building goodwill and developing mutual understanding feels more important than ever.”
Advancing choral conducting
With a deep appreciation for Hungary’s rich musical heritage, Welch aims to immerse herself in the country’s choral traditions and refine her conducting skills under the guidance of esteemed faculty.
Welch received her master’s degree in choral conducting at U-M in 2024 and is a summa cum laude graduate of Wellesley College. She has extensive experience directing and performing in ensembles spanning children’s choirs to professional opera productions.
While in Budapest, she is engaging in rigorous academic study, attending world-class performances and collaborating with Hungarian musicians to deepen her expertise in the Kodály method and other influential pedagogical traditions.
“Besides studying choral conducting, I am exploring the local choral scene and history by singing with local community ensembles and taking folk singing classes,” Welch said. “Hungary’s deep musical roots, legendary composers and world-class educational institutions make it the ideal place for me to refine my craft as a choral conductor.”
Her research will culminate in an article or conference presentation to ensure her discoveries reach broader academic and musical communities.
“I believe music is a direct extension of the people producing it — their idiosyncrasies and stories are woven into the notes and rhythms,” she said. “The idea that music is a vehicle for community underlies my musicality and draws me to choral music.
“Through music, we tell stories, express ourselves and connect with people we may never have reached. I am honored to have the opportunity to learn in a culture where music and pedagogy are woven into the fabric of society.”
