Reba McGloughlin ’26 selected for Fulbright to pursue graduate study in Ireland

Earlham College senior Reba McGloughlin ’26 has been selected for a Fulbright award to pursue a Master of Science in World Heritage Management and Conservation at University College Dublin in Ireland. 

McGloughlin is the second Earlham student this year to receive a Fulbright award and becomes the College’s 44th recipient since 1991. 

The graduate program at University College Dublin combines cultural and natural preservation with conflict resolution and hands-on site management. McGloughlin said she is especially interested in the program’s focus on protecting religious minority heritage and examining how communities, governments and conservationists work together to preserve historic sites. 

“It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and outside confirmation of the work I’ve been doing,” McGloughlin said. 

Both personal and academic experiences have shaped her interest in heritage and preservation. Growing up as a fourth-generation Irish American, McGloughlin has been inspired by her family history and her studies in peace and global studies and religion at Earlham. Travel experiences — including a recent study trip to Jordan — exposed her to the intersection of history, community, and governance in preserving cultural sites, reinforcing her desire to engage in heritage work abroad. 

McGloughlin hopes the experience will prepare her for a career as an archivist and cultural preservation specialist. 

In addition to McGloughlin and recent Fulbright recipient Dera Driscoll ’26, recent graduate Jacob Gurt ’25 was also named a Fulbright semifinalist this year. 

“Earlham students’ remarkable intellectual curiosity compels them to explore questions and ideas that transcend easy categorization,” said Elana Passman, professor of history and Earlham’s Fulbright liaison. “The breadth of their learning empowers each Earlham student to blaze a unique path. I’m thrilled this world-renowned fellowship has recognized the distinctive achievements of these three Earlhamites.” 

Story written by Laura Leavitt for the Earlham College Office of Marketing and Communications.

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.