Honors Alumnus Awarded Fulbright

Adapted from Article by Rebecca Tarbet

Joshua Webster-Ford, an Honors Program alumnus, graduated in August with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, College of Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences. Webster-Ford is the recipient of the Fulbright Master’s Degree Program Awards: China Medical University Award in Chinese Medicine. Due to other educational opportunities, Webster-Ford made the decision to decline the Fulbright grant to pursue further education at the University of Oxford. Webster-Ford is one of three Fulbright recipients from BYU this year.

Webster-Ford and his wife Emma (2023 BYU Honors graduate) are both attending the University of Oxford this fall to begin their master’s degrees. Webster-Ford is pursuing a Master of Medical Physics with Radiobiology and Emma is pursuing a Master of Economics.

Webster-Ford's BYU Honors Program thesis expanded on research he conducted on Huntington’s disease during a summer fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. Webster-Ford said his experience in the Honors Program was instrumental in preparing him for the Fulbright. The Honors Program’s focus on interdisciplinary study influenced his Fulbright application.

“Even though I was biochemistry, I took a couple of Chinese classes and really loved it,” Webster-Ford said. “That helped to show the Fulbright committee I'm ready to do this. The program I applied for was Chinese medicine, so it showed I'm ready to learn medicine but also, I'm ready and excited to learn Chinese, culture, food, and everything that comes with that too.”

This last summer, Webster-Ford was a fellow for the BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research, researching bone cancer at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia.

At BYU, Webster-Ford conducted research with the BYU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and with a professor of Chinese, examining how people with disabilities were viewed differently in Taiwan and mainland China by exploring books and movies.

Webster-Ford enjoyed being involved in research opportunities at BYU; his ideal career would allow him to both practice medicine and conduct medical research.

“I've always really enjoyed learning languages and experiencing new culture, so that's something I want to pursue as well,” Webster-Ford said. “Medicine is a good way to do that, because talking with patients day-to-day, you encounter people from all over the world.”

The office of National Scholarships and Prestigious Fellowships assisted Webster-Ford in his Fulbright application through mock interviews, reviewing application materials and providing feedback on how to best shape his application to fit his future goals.

Webster-Ford encouraged students interested in a Fulbright program to apply, even if they feel underqualified. He also advised students to strengthen connections and build rapport with professors and mentors to request letters of recommendation from in the future.

“It was seriously such a big honor to receive my scholarship,” Webster-Ford said. “It was cool to know BYU is the kind of school that helps people get a Fulbright and other really prestigious scholarships.”

Fulbright Scholarship applications for 2025-2026 are now open. A Fulbright grant offers graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals a unique opportunity to experience foreign cultures after completing their undergrad. Fulbright recipients interact with the people in host countries while pursuing research interests, higher education, or teaching English classes. A Fulbright grant helps BYU alumni continue to lead a life of learning and service.

Contact the office of National Scholarships and Prestigious Fellowships, at national.scholarships@byu.edu to learn more about the different opportunities available through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to learn more about the different opportunities available through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.