Felipe Hernandez, a political science and music-performance double major, has been named a 2013 Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholar. He is one of only 25 students selected nationally to receive an English teaching assistantship to Colombia that will allow him to spend 10 months teaching English in the South American country.

The news comes one year after Hernandez was awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship for his leadership excellence, commitment to serving others in the community and dedication to creating change.

While at UCI, Hernandez has maintained a highly impressive academic record – he’s a member of three honors programs and has placed on the Dean's Honors List for 12 quarters - while simultaneously co-founding and leading a non-profit organization, Mentors Empowering and Nurturing Through Education (M.E.N.T.E.). The organization pairs low-income, first-generation minorities with college-student mentors who help them prepare for education beyond high school and stimulate civic engagement, analytical thinking and leadership development.

As a Fulbright scholar, he will implement a similar program in Colombia while teaching English.

Hernandez has completed two honors theses, one for each of his majors. In political science, he analyzed the role of social media in reducing school bullying faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth. For music, he examined the effects of narcocorridos (drug ballads) on listeners and local musicians in Los Angeles. He received research funding from UROP and the Library Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

In his spare time, Hernandez volunteers at the Orange County United Way. He also plays in a band called The Reckoners that specializes in everything from blues, jazz and hip-hop to electro, funk and pop. They can be found most Friday and Saturday nights playing at the Anthill Pub.

After returning to the U.S., Hernandez plans to participate in Americorps, VISTA, California Capital Fellows Program or Teach for America before entering a joint degree program. He’s considering a master’s in public policy and JD or MBA, focusing on non-profit management/social enterprise. He also hopes to one day hold public office where he may draft, support and evaluate policies that impact low-socioeconomic communities in an effort to improve the quality of education, outreach programs and legal aid for his constituents.

Additional UCI Fulbright winners for 2013 are Soraya Azzawi, neurobiology major, and Armaan Rowther, biology major. Both will be traveling to Jordan on research grants.