W&L’s Jack Evans ’25 Awarded Fulbright to Uzbekistan Evans received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Uzbekistan and plans to pursue a career in national security and diplomacy.

By Emily Innes
July 18, 2025

Washington and Lee University graduate Jack Evans ’25 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to teach English in Uzbekistan. At W&L, Evans double majored in global politics and East European and Russian studies. Evans is a native of Ashland, Kentucky, and graduated from Russell High School.

The ETA program in Uzbekistan is designed to improve English language abilities and knowledge of the United States for both Uzbekistani students and teachers through formal English classes and a variety of extra-curricular activities, as well as to strengthen the educational and cultural relationships between the United States and Uzbekistan.

Evans first fell in love with Central Asia when he studied in Kyrgyzstan in 2024 through the Boren Scholarship, and he is grateful for the chance to return to the region, explore a new country and represent the United States abroad while preparing for a career in national security and diplomacy.

“I feel so lucky to have this opportunity,” said Evans, who also studied in Poland with the Gilman Scholarship in 2023. “Throughout my time at W&L, I was incredibly fortunate to study and learn abroad. I am grateful to W&L and the resources and experience it provided to me, which made this Fulbright ETA possible.”

For Evans, the faculty and curriculum he encountered in W&L’s East European and Russian Studies Program helped nurture his intellectual interests, build his confidence as a student, and prepare him for career aspirations. He is grateful for the support and mentorship of Krzysztof Jasiewicz, the William P. Ames Jr. Professor of Sociology Emeritus, and Richard Bidlack, Martin and Brooke Stein Professor of History Emeritus, who guided him throughout his college journey.

At W&L, Evans served as an advocate for the Blue Ridge Mile Clinic. After graduating in May, he completed a four-week intensive learning experience in Washington, D.C. as a Grand Strategy Fellow with the Hertog Foundation’s Security Studies Program, which helped prepare him for a range of paths within the defense and security field.

With the Fulbright award, Evans will depart in September 2025 for his 9-month program. Upon completion of the program, Evans plans to begin his career in Washington, D.C., focusing on national security, diplomacy and regional geopolitics.

~~~

Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2024-2025 Fulbright U.S. Students for the seventh consecutive year.

The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

If you know a W&L student who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.