KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 7, 2015

Katelyn King is already a world traveler, but her recent selection as a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright award will send the Kennesaw State graduate packing for a yearlong study abroad to earn her second master’s degree this fall.

King is among more than 1,900 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2015-16 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. The Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

In addition to Katelyn, another Kennesaw State graduate, Alyssa Varhol, has been selected to receive the award to study abroad during the 2015-16 academic year. “It’s gratifying to have multiple student Fulbright scholars for the first time in the history of Kennesaw State University,” said Michelle Miles, the honors scholarship advisor in the Honors College.“A single Fulbright recipient is in itself a distinct honor, but for KSU to have two alumnae join next year’s elite scholarship cohort speaks volumes, not only to the students’ respective characters and achievements, but to the dedication of faculty members who have nurtured them along their academic journeys.“

Recipients of the Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential.

King, 23, of Kennesaw, will travel to Bern, Switzerland to study composition and theory in theatrical music at Hochschule derKünste.

“I hope to become a stage director, someone who can put musical events together on stage to create really unique concert experiences, and be able to insert other art forms into a musical production,” said King, who earned her first master’s degree in music performance from McGill University in Montreal in May.

Since graduating from Kennesaw State in music performance (percussion) in 2013, King has created a repertoire duo that blends poetry with percussion and projection, or stage performance.

“This type of performance really means anything as long as there is a considerable amount of speaking involved, in any language, while musical things happen,” she said. “Right now, we are working with a San Diego-based composer who finished writing us a new piece based on Russian futurist poetry.”

King also created a theatrical trio, Dressage Percussion, which performs historical works in an effort to encourage composers to keep writing within this style. The trio has a mini tour scheduled in China later this summer.

“The Fulbright gives me enormous confidence to experiment and explore the different avenues that will be available to me once I am in Switzerland,” King said.

“KSU has laid all the groundwork for my musicianship, performance abilities and dream brainstorming,” King said. “The faculty has always pushed me to do better. They have always supported my dreams, and I’ve always felt able to achieve anything because of my time at KSU.”