Four Salve Regina University students have been awarded Beatrice S. Demers Foreign Language Fellowships through the Rhode Island Foundation to support language study abroad.
The fellowships, which range from $1,000 to $20,000, help cover tuition, fees, travel, housing and other expenses for students, educators and Rhode Island residents pursuing foreign language study.
Adison Caufield, a sophomore double-majoring in European history and global studies with a Hispanic studies minor, will use the fellowship to study abroad in Sevilla, Spain, in fall 2026. Meghanne Cheevers, a freshman double-majoring in Hispanic studies and elementary education, will use the award to support a spring 2027 semester in Spain as she works toward becoming a Spanish teacher.
Eliana Koenig, a senior double-majoring in Hispanic studies and psychology, will return to Spain after graduation this summer to study medical Spanish. Isabella Meier, a junior double-majoring in Hispanic studies and psychology, is currently studying abroad in Spain and plans to use the fellowship to study Portuguese in Lisbon in spring 2027 to further her research on the Sephardic Jewish diaspora.
“This fellowship has given me one of the best opportunities to enhance my knowledge of the Spanish language and the intimate knowledge of specifically medical Spanish,” Koenig said. “Without this scholarship I would never have had the opportunity to continue my education and learn the skills needed to pursue a career in health psychology in the future.”
Erin FitzGerald, director of Salve’s Center for Global Education and Fellowships, said the recognitions reflect the university’s modern languages program and the opportunities students have to make an impact locally and globally.
