West Point Cadets Named Fulbright Scholars

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has selected Class of 2024 Cadets Paul Conroy, Christina Ellis, Maximillian Renfro, and John Thomas for the Fulbright Scholarship Program. The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 and is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program, partnering with participating governments, host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States. 

“Congratulations to our newest Fulbright Scholars and their mentors!” said Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves. “These leaders will spend the next year strengthening partnerships with our allies across the world while challenging themselves as they prepare to lead on the modern battlefield.” 

About the Scholars 

Cadet Christina Ellis, Class of 2024, is a Chinese Major from Singapore, who also spent part of her childhood in Beijing, China. At the United States Military Academy at West Point, Ellis currently serves as the Company Commander for company C-3 and was a former member of the Women’s Rugby team.  Her primary academic interests are in global governance and determining how to strengthen U.S. relationships within the Asia-Pacific region. Her research interests also include examining the civil, military, and political relationship between the U.S. and China, and maintaining regional stability in the Taiwan Strait. Her current studies include examining One China Policies from around the world to build a more complete narrative of China’s bilateral relationships with other countries. After completing an International Master’s in Asia-Pacific Studies at National Cheng Chi University in Taiwan, Ellis will serve as a Military Intelligence officer in the Army. As an officer, she hopes to use her language abilities and nuanced understanding of the Asia-Pacific to ensure continued cooperation in the region. 

“Receiving the Fulbright Scholarship is an opportunity to continue to strengthen and build cross-cultural understanding as a representative of both West Point and the U.S. Army,” said Cadet Ellis. “I am very humbled and grateful for the opportunity to learn and develop alongside peers who share a similar academic interest. I am excited to share daily experiences with Taiwanese people and build relationships with other Fulbright Scholars.” 

Cadet Maximillian Renfro, Class of 2024, is an English Major from Birmingham, Ala. He focuses his undergraduate academic research on nationalism, translation, and cross-cultural communication. Renfro will expand on this work while studying Languages and Cultures on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. This scholastic opportunity will enable him to study the effectiveness of the cultural engagement techniques used by America’s Provincial Reconstruction Teams during the Iraq War. In addition to this scholarly opportunity, he will be training with the British Army’s 11th Security Forces Assistance Brigade. Following his Fulbright Scholarship, Renfro will serve as a Military Intelligence officer in the 1st Multi Domain Task Force at Fort Lewis Washington. 

“Receiving the Fulbright Scholarship is a tremendous honor. This scholarship is about so much more than exploring the United Kingdom and studying alongside some of its best scholars and brightest students,” said Cadet Renfro. “The experience represents an opportunity to act as an ambassador for America’s highest ideals and most deeply held values.” 

Cadet Paul Conroy, Class of 2024, is a History Honors Major with a Russian Minor from San Antonio, Texas. At the United States Military Academy at West Point, Conroy is a part of the Model UN and the Knights of Colombus. He will be continuing his studies at the Aleksanteri Institute at the University of Helsinki in Finland to obtain a Master’s in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies. During this opportunity, he hopes to research Russian grand strategy, security policy, and neighboring responses. After the Fulbright Scholarship, Conroy will serve as a lieutenant in the Armor branch before transitioning to Military Intelligence. 

“Being the recipient of the Fulbright-University of Helsinki Graduate Award and studying at the Aleksanteri Institute will enable me to develop my knowledge of the post-Soviet space and gain valuable insights from our Finnish partners,” said Cadet Conroy. 

Cadet John Thomas, Class of 2024, is an International History Major from Charlottesville, Va. At West Point, he is the Cadet In Charge of the Army model United Nations. Thomas plans to continue his studies at Leiden Universite in the Netherlands. He is interested in researching the ethics of humanitarianism and civil-military relations in the U.N. intervention in the Bosnian Genocide. After serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army, Thomas will pursue work in the State Department to represent his country in the foreign services. 

“The Fulbright Scholarship represents an incredible opportunity to study alongside and learn from my peers in the Netherlands,” said Cadet Thomas. “I am honored for the chance to immerse myself in Dutch culture, and I believe that this year will prepare me to serve my country more capably in the Army and beyond.” 

For more information about the Fulbright Scholarship Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/. 

To learn more about West Point’s Graduate Scholarship Program, visit https://bit.ly/WPGS.   

About West Point   

The U. S. Military Academy at West Point is a four-year, co-educational, federal service academy located 50 miles north of New York City. It was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering and continues today as the world’s premier leader-development institution, consistently ranked among top colleges in the country. Its mission is to build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation. For more information, go to www.westpoint.edu.