Tulane public health graduate named Fulbright grant recipient

Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine graduate Layla Babahaji is one of six Tulane graduates to be named Fulbright grant recipients for 2026-27. These graduates receive funds through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program — the U.S. Department of State’s flagship international educational exchange program — to either study for a graduate degree, conduct an individually designed research project or participate in an English Teaching Assistant Program outside the United States.

Babahaji graduated in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in public health from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School, as well as a minor in Spanish from the School of Liberal Arts. In 2022, she graduated from the Celia Scott Weatherhead School with a master's degree in international health and sustainable development. 

"I am honored to have been selected for a Fulbright grant to Morocco, where I will teach English at the university level, focusing on academic writing, reading and communication skills while fostering cross-cultural exchange and connection," Babahaji said. "Having previously studied and conducted public health research in Morocco, including an independent research project on migrant health and a graduate practicum evaluating a community-based public health program, I am excited to return and continue building my connection to Morocco while deepening my fluency in Darija and Arabic."

This year, the Newcomb-Tulane College Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships supported 24 applicants through the months-long Fulbright application process. Fifteen of those applicants were announced as semifinalists in January. Currently, six applicants have been selected for a Fulbright grant, with three more listed as alternates. In addition to Babahaji, other Tulane recipients include Marie Howard, Aidan McCahill, Crystal Ni, Shadie Shrestha, and Mary Evelyne White.

"Living in a different culture is a challenge, but these six Tulanians are ready for it,” said Thomas Spencer, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships within Newcomb-Tulane College. "Chosen from thousands of applicants, they have the skills and determination to build meaningful connections and serve as exceptional citizen ambassadors."

The graduates will represent both the U.S. and Tulane as they create mutual understanding across borders and cultures.