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Top-Ranked Again, UT Marks Two Decades of Supporting Fulbright Students

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Top-Ranked Again, UT Marks Two Decades of Supporting Fulbright Students


AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs again recognized The University of Texas at Austin for being one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Notably, UT Austin has earned top-producing accolades for 15 of the last 20 years.

Seventeen Longhorns earned selections for Fulbright awards during the 2023-2024 academic year, placing UT Austin in the Top 25 along with a No. 3 ranking among public schools. Additionally, UT Austin climbed three spots to No. 18 among 219 private and public universities and colleges, tied with the University of Southern California and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

In alignment with UT Austin’s mission of advancing global connections, the University has now supported 250 Fulbright students over two decades.

“It is an honor to be recognized again as a top producer of Fulbright U.S. students for 2023-2024, underscoring the University’s commitment to international education and global engagement,” said Sonia Feigenbaum, senior vice provost of global engagement and chief international officer. “As we celebrate this achievement, we also reaffirm our dedication to delivering a world-class education and transformative cross-cultural experiences that cultivate leaders of tomorrow.”

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The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. Since 1946, Fulbright has provided more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.

The Fulbright competition is administered at UT through the Education Abroad unit of Texas Global.

Alumni of the Fulbright Program work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world. Their number has included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur fellows, and countless leaders and changemakers who build mutual understanding between the people of the United State and the people of other countries.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit fulbrightprogram.org.

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Is Matthew McConaughey Running For Governor? Why Campaign Signs Have Been Spotted In Austin, Texas | Whiskey Riff

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Is Matthew McConaughey Running For Governor? Why Campaign Signs Have Been Spotted In Austin, Texas | Whiskey Riff


Is Matthew McConaughey finally throwing his name into the hat of politics?

The Oscar-winning actor and author has been teasing a political run for years. Back in 2024, McConaughey really seemed to be entertaining a run for the governor of Texas. During the election year, the man known for such hit films as Interstellar and Dazed and Confused was asked about his interest again and again.

When he spoke with Forbes about the matter, he didn’t immediately shut the idea down. Rather, he thinks it’s something that he could enter into after he learns more about it:

“Yes. I have thought about running for office, getting into this category. I’m on a learning tour and have been for probably the last six years of understanding what this category means. Do I have instincts, intellect that it would be a good fit for me and I would be a good fit for it. That would be useful. I’m still on that learning tour, and, you know, days like this. I’m learning a lot.”

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So considering the fact that “McConaughey for Governor” campaign signs have been spotted in Texas recently, could his learning tour be over?

Lone Star State residents have been freaking out as signage for a Matthew McConaughey political run have popped up in North Texas. People have even reported seeing billboards and yard signs teasing the actor’s transition into politics. In addition, social media users have seen (and videoed) various campaign set ups, and even a large stage installation, on various occasions. As you might imagine, those have gone viral on social media.

Here’s a video of the aforementioned stage installation, which features Texas flags all over the place and “McConaughey for Governor” signs that have a tagline that harkens back to one of his most famous movie roles:

“Be Pretty Cool if You Voted.”

But here’s the deal… Matthew McConaughey is not running for governor of Texas, even though Texans would be alright, alright, alright with him doing so.

As the caption included in FOX4’s post describes, the sightings of “McConaughey for governor” signs are actually for an upcoming Apple TV+ show that will feature Matthew playing a fictionalized version of himself:

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“These highly realistic visuals are merely props for ‘Brothers,’ an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series where McConaughey plays a fictionalized version of himself running for political office alongside his close friend, actor Woody Harrelson.”

So to be clear, anything and everything that Texas residents have seen about a potential McConaughey gubernatorial run are actually just realistic (and based on the internet’s response, confusing) set pieces. You can’t blame people for thinking that it might have been real with the Oscar winner publicly showing interest in running for governor in 2022, and teasing political runs in the years since.

While knowing that he isn’t running for office might be a let down, it’s fun to hear that he and Woody Harrelson will be working on a show together that will soon find a home on Apple TV+. And hey, this all might be for a TV series… but maybe they are also doing all of this to gauge how the public would respond to McConaughey running?

Sorry, I’ll take my tinfoil hat off…

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Texas Longhorn fans prepare to travel for showdown in Georgia

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Texas Longhorn fans prepare to travel for showdown in Georgia


Texas fans will make the stampede across the southeastern portion of the United States to Athens, Georgia, as the No. 10 Longhorns clash with the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs this upcoming Saturday.

Charlie Dunn, a dedicated Texas Longhorns fan and alumnus, is continuing a cherished tradition of attending road games with his father. “I tell people that I was brainwashed as a young child to go there,” Dunn said. This weekend, the father-son duo will travel to Athens to take in Saturday’s contest inside Sanford Stadium. “For the first time, we get to go, like, to their stadium, which I think is going to be awesome to see,” Dunn added.

They will be joined by thousands of fellow Longhorn fans, including 60 members of the Texas Exes organization. Margaret Williams, travel director for Texas Exes, expressed excitement about the new travel opportunities in the SEC. “It’s really fun now that we’re in the SEC because obviously there’s a lot of new sort of like, you know, travel destinations that we’ve never gone to before,” she said.

The Texas Exes Atlanta Chapter is preparing to welcome alumni and fans with open arms. “They’ll definitely have some warm Texas Longhorn arms to land in regardless of whether they’re in Athens or if they’re in Atlanta,” said Hunter Miranda, fundraising chair for the chapter.

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The group is holding a welcome party and happy hour on Friday at Botica, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“For those of us living in Atlanta as Texas fans, we’ve been waiting for the Longhorns to be a part of the SEC,” said chapter vice president Ryan Esparza.

For those unable to attend the game, a watch party is planned. “A really large crew who maybe weren’t able to get tickets are going to be joining the watch party,” said Esparza, with Miranda mentioning that door prizes will be given out.

Despite the competitive atmosphere, Texas fans remain confident. “We’ve got a lot of Bulldogs around us, and they like to have their voices be heard when they’re better than us. So I would like to very much be able to quiet them,” Esparza said. Williams added, “I mostly wanna say Hook ’em Horns, let’s go get ’em.”

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Anyone interested in attending any of the events held by the Atlanta chapter of the Texas Exes is encouraged to contact the chapter.



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Woman dies after vehicle veers off road, hits her at East Austin bus stop

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Woman dies after vehicle veers off road, hits her at East Austin bus stop


A woman sitting at a bus stop in East Austin has died after being struck by a vehicle that veered off the road Wednesday night.

The Austin Police Department reported that the incident occurred on Riverside Drive, where the vehicle left the roadway, hitting the victim.

She was transported to the hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

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All eastbound lanes of East Riverside Drive between Royal Crest and Burton Dr are closed.

The scene remains active as the investigation continues.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.



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