A record-breaking 19 students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville were awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to study, research and teach in cities around the world for the 2018-19 academic year. One student in particular stands out.
Alex Crockett from Jamestown was a recipient of the 2018-19 Fulbright Scholarship and a Tennessee 4-H Alumnus. He is preparing to move to the United Kingdom this September and pursue a Master of Arts at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, about an hour outside of Cambridge.
Crockett, who participated in the Fentress County 4-H program, majored in Food Science and Technology and minored in political science at UT with a pre-professional concentration for medical school.
“Receiving a Fulbright Scholarship is a huge honor representing my work over the past four years. However, it also pushes me to continue devoting all my time and energy to my studies and research,” explains Crockett.
During his time abroad, Crockett will study best practices to help empower and support rural communities, or communities with agriculture-dependent economies. He hopes to focus on the development of health care-related resources in these areas and the impact that it has on non-communicable diseases, like diabetes, cancer and strokes, and how they affect individuals in these communities.
A major takeaway from Crockett’s time in 4-H was the mindset of serving “others first, self second.”
“Servant leadership is at the core of my identity as a leader in the community,” says Crockett. “These lessons on selfless leadership that focus on the needs of others motivated me to find ways to use my time, resources and experiences to benefit those around me.”
Being open to new opportunities and experiences has served Crockett well and helped him to prepare for his upcoming adventure abroad.
“If I could give one piece of advice to a younger 4-Her, I would encourage them to pursue new opportunities that challenge them and push them outside of their comfort zone,” says Crockett.
We are so excited for Alex and can’t wait to hear about his successes across the pond!
For a complete list of the 2018-19 UT – Knoxville Fulbright Scholar recipients, please visit.