As a spring 2024 initiate in Xavier’s Exponential Honors Program, Xavier University of Louisiana sophomore Ja’lyn Jones is now preparing to experience one of the program’s many life-changing benefits- a chance to study abroad. On June 15th, Jones leaves to study abroad in the United Kingdom (U.K.) at the University of Bristol as a 2024 Summer Fulbright participant. This incredible opportunity allows Jones to learn at one of the most prestigious and selective summer scholarship programs operating worldwide.

“As a person that comes from a small town in the state of Mississippi, I was determined to be a representative for those who do not experience such opportunities and fortunes,” said Jones. He says the course title at Bristol is Arts, Activism, and Social Justice, which are three topics that he firmly studies and demonstrates in his life. “As an individual who prioritizes using the arts, mainly music, as a source to inform and educate the culture, being selected for this program was a feat destined for me to achieve.”

Xavier’s Exponential program enhances the experience of high-achieving and high-performing honors students by allowing them to participate in annual retreats that prepare them to be thought leaders and scholars. The program shows students how to prepare competitive portfolios documenting their academic, leadership, and co-curricular experiences and achievements. It also engages them in courses in international studies and studying abroad.

“We want our Xavier students to not just be leaders in their own communities but also globally-minded citizens,” said Dr. Shearon Roberts, director of Xavier Exponential. Dr. Roberts added that being selected for the summer Fulbright to the U.K. will expand possibilities and remove the geographic boundaries for the kind of career and reach Jones can have. “The honors program’s mission, which aligns with Xavier’s mission, is to prepare students for global impact. This will be Ja’lyn’s first time leaving the U.S., and what better way to do so than through the Fulbright Summer U.K. program.”

Jones is grateful for the leadership of Xavier’s honors programs and others, such as Dr. Shearon Roberts, Ms. Erin King, and Ms. Aviwe Dubois. Their preparation led him to display his talents better, highlight his accolades, and demonstrate his work ethic, all of which led to him being the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) student studying in the summer program.

The summer Fulbright in the U.K. is the only smaller Fulbright available for matriculating U.S. undergraduates. It is designed to prepare U.S. students to apply for the “bigger” student Fulbright when they are seniors or recent graduates.

Maria Balinska, executive director of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, is confident that studying abroad will leave a lasting impression on the participants and those they meet and connect with during their time here. “Cultural exchange is a truly transformative experience, and I am excited to see this year’s UK Summer Institutes participants embark on this journey of immersing themselves in British academia and culture,” said Balinska.

The Fulbright University of Bristol Summer Institute is a three-week cultural and academic program exploring the intersection of Arts, Activism and Social Justice. Students will investigate how literature, music, visual arts, poetry and storytelling, dance, philosophy and critical social theories have shaped movements for social justice across the globe, with particular attention given to racial justice and the legacies of slavery. The city of Bristol has a vibrant culture of arts and grassroots activism and a rich history that includes radical and progressive traditions and diverse communities.