Jessica Nelson, 21, of Ham Lake has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student scholarship to teach English in Spain.

Nelson, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, will leave for Madrid in September. She graduated magna cum laude in May with a degree in history. Nelson is one of more than 1,450 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2008-2009 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student program.

The Fulbright program is America's flagship international education exchange program and is sponsored by State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It was established by legislation in 1946 introduced by the Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas and operates in about 155 countries.

NORMAN DRAPER