Pulitzer Prize Winners

Ninety Fulbright alumni have won a total of 96 Pulitzer Prizes, which has honored excellence in American journalism and the arts since 1917. 

These alumni are excellent examples of the Fulbright Program's commitment to fostering leadership in all fields of study and endeavor. One Fulbright alumnus, Edward Albee, has won a Pulitzer three times. Three Fulbright alumni - John Updike, David Herbert Donald and Richard Hofstadter - have won twice.

To view this list with featured alumni on the Fulbright gateway website, click here.

Prize winners are listed below in reverse-time order, according to the year in which they received the Pulitzer:

  • Megha Rajagopalan – Journalist - Fulbright U.S. Student to China, 2010; 2021 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting
  • Greg Grandin – Professor and Author - Fulbright U.S. Student to Guatemala, 2006; 2020 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction
  • Emily Green – Journalist - Fulbright U.S. Student to the Philippines, 2006; 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting
  • Jeffrey C. Stewart – Professor and Author - Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Italy, 2002; 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • David W. Blight – Professor and Author - Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Germany, 1992; 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Jack E. Davis – Professor and Author - Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Jordan, 2002-2003; 2018 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Jake Halpern – Journalist and Author – Fulbright U.S. Scholar to India, 2011-2012; 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Cartooning, with Michael Sloan, freelance cartoonist
  • Julia Wolfe – Composer – Fulbright U.S. Student to the Netherlands, 1991; 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Elizabeth Kolbert – Journalist and Author – Fulbright Student to Germany, 1983; 2015 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction
  • David Kertzer – Professor and Author – Fulbright Scholar to Italy, 1978 and 2000; 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Biography or Autobiography
  • John Lewis Gaddis – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to Finland, 1980-81, and Poland, 1996-97; 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • Stephen Greenblatt – Literary Critic and Theorist – Fulbright Student to the United Kingdom, 1964-66; 2012 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction
  • Eric Foner – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to Russia, 1990, and Japan, 2003; 2011 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Robert Haas – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1976; 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Philip Schultz – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to Israel, 1983; 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Caroline Elkins – Historian and Author – Fulbright Scholar to Kenya, 1998–99; 2006 Pulitzer Prize in General Non–Fiction
  • Edmund S. Morgan – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to Japan, 1968; 2006 Pulitzer Prize (Special Awards and Citations)
  • David Hackett Fischer – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to New Zealand, 1994; 2005 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • William C. Taubman – Biographer and Historian – Fulbright Student to the Soviet Union, 1965; 2004 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • Daniel Grech – Journalist – Fulbright Student to Argentina, 2003; 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Breaking News Reporting
  • Herbert P. Bix – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to Japan, 1977 and 1992; 2001 Pulitzer Prize in General Non–Fiction
  • Bruce Bissell Finley – Journalist – Fulbright Student to the United Kingdom, 1984–85; 2000 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Breaking News Reporting
  • Mark Strand – Poet – Fulbright Student to Italy, 1960, and Fulbright Scholar to Brazil, 1965; 1999 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Edward J. Larson – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the Netherlands, 2000; 1998 Pulitzer Prize for History
  • Charles Wright – Poet – Fulbright Student to Italy, 1963, and Fulbright Scholar to Italy, 1968; 1998 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Will Englund – Foreign Correspondent – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1988; 1998 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Investigative Reporting
  • George Walker – Composer – Fulbright Student to France, 1957; 1996 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Edward Albee – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the Soviet Union, 1964; 1994 Pulitzer Prize in Drama (also won 1975 and 1967 Pulitzer Prizes in Drama)
  • Eric Freedman – Journalist – Fulbright Scholar to Uzbekistan, 2001; 1994 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Beat Reporting
  • Gunther Schuller – Composer and Musician – Fulbright Scholar to China, 1971; 1994 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Stephen Doig - Journalist - Fulbright Scholar to Portugal, 2010; 1993 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service
  • Wayne Peterson – Composer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1953; 1992 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Robert Frederick Schenkkan – Playwright and Screenwriter – Fulbright Scholar to Chile, 1969–70; 1992 Pulitzer Prize in Drama
  • Jane Smiley – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Iceland, 1976–77; 1992 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • John Updike – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Ghana and Nigeria (Lincoln Lecturer), 1973; 1991 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction (also won 1982 Pulitzer in Fiction)
  • Charles Simic – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to Yugoslavia, 1982; 1990 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Allan Temko – Architecture Critic – Fulbright Scholar to France, 1952; 1990 Pulitzer Prize in Criticism
  • Roger Reynolds – Composer – Fulbright Student to Germany, 1962; 1989 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • David Herbert Donald – Historian and Biographer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1959; 1988 Pulitzer Prize in Biography (also won 1961 Pulitzer in Biography)
  • Rita Dove – Poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate – Fulbright Student to Germany, 1974; 1987 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Peter Taylor – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1955; 1987 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • Joseph Lelyveld – Executive Editor of the New York Times – Fulbright Student to Burma, 1960; 1986 Pulitzer Prize in General Non–Fiction
  • Murray Kempton – Journalist – Fulbright Scholar to Italy, 1958; 1985 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Commentary
  • Galway Kinnell– Poet – Fulbright Scholar to France, 1955, and to Iran, 1959; 1983 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Loretta Tofani – Reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer – Fulbright Scholar to Japan, 1983; 1983 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Local Investigative / Specialized Reporting
  • Sylvia Plath – Poet – Fulbright Student to the United Kingdom, 1955; 1982 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • John Updike – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Ghana and Nigeria (Lincoln Lecturer), 1973; 1982 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction (also won 1991 Pulitzer in Fiction)
  • C. Vann Woodward – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1955, and New Zealand, 1995; 1982 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Leon F. Litwack – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the Soviet Union, 1980, and Australia, 1991; 1980 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Meg Greenfield – Editorial Page Editor for The Washington Post – Fulbright Student to the United Kingdom, 1952; 1978 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Editorial Writing
  • John Ashbery – Poet – Fulbright Student to France, 1955; 1976 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Alan M. Kriegsman – Writer – Fulbright Student to Austria, 1956; 1976 Pulitzer Prize in Criticism
  • Richard (R.W.B.) Lewis – Biographer – Fulbright Scholar to Germany, 1957, and Japan, 1977; 1976 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • Ned Rorem – Composer and Writer – Fulbright Student to France, 1951; 1976 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Dominick Argento – Composer – Fulbright Student to Italy, 1951; 1975 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Edward Albee – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the Soviet Union, 1964; 1974 Pulitzer Prize in Drama (also won 1994 and 1967 Pulitzer Prizes in Drama)
  • Daniel Boorstin – Historian and former Librarian of Congress – Fulbright Scholar to Japan, 1956, and to Yugoslavia, 1963; 1974 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Donald Martino – Composer – Fulbright Student to Italy, 1954-55; 1974 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Hedrick Smith – Journalist – Fulbright Student to the United Kingdom, 1955; 1974 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for International Reporting
  • Michael G. Kammen – Historian and Sociologist – Fulbright Specialist to Romania, 2004; 1973 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Eudora Welty– Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1954; 1973 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • Carl Neumann Degler – Historian and Author – Fulbright Scholar to Chile, 1967; 1972 Pulitzer in History
  • Jacob Druckman – Composer – Fulbright Student to France, 1954; 1972 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Wallace Stegner – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Greece, 1963; 1972 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • James A. Wright – Poet – Fulbright Student to Austria, 1952; 1972 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Richard Howard – Poet – Fulbright Student to France, 1958; 1970 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Ada Louise Huxtable – Writer and Critic – Fulbright Student to Italy, 1952; 1970 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Criticism
  • T. Harry Williams – Biographer and Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1966; 1970 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • Benjamin Reid – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1963; 1969 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • N. Scott Momaday – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Russia and the Soviet Union, 1973-74; 1969 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • George Crumb – Composer – Fulbright Student to Germany, 1954, and Fulbright Scholar to Australia, 1984; 1968 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Anthony Hecht – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to Brazil, 1972; 1968 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Edward Albee – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to the Soviet Union, 1964; 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Drama (also won 1994 and 1975 Pulitzer Prizes in Drama)
  • David Brion Davis – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to India, 1967, and France, 1980; 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Non–Fiction
  • William H. Goetzmann – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1967; 1967 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Leslie Bassett – Composer – Fulbright Student to France, 1950; 1966 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Katherine Anne Porter – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Belgium, 1954, and Mexico, 1964; 1966 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • Ernest Samuels – Biographer – Fulbright Scholar to Belgium, 1958; 1965 Pulitzer Prize in Biography
  • Richard Hofstadter – Historian and Sociologist – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1955; 1964 Pulitzer Prize in General Non–Fiction (also won 1956 Pulitzer in History)
  • David Herbert Donald – Historian and Biographer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1959; 1961 Pulitzer Prize in Biography (also won 1988 Pulitzer in Biography)
  • Garrett Mattingly – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to Italy, 1963; 1960 Pulitzer Prize (Special Awards and Citations)
  • Russell Jones – Reporter – Fulbright Scholar in France, 1966; 1957 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for International Reporting
  • Richard Hofstadter – Historian and Sociologist – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1955; 1956 Pulitzer Prize in History (also won 1964 Pulitzer in General Non–Fiction)
  • Theodore Roethke – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to Italy, 1955; 1954 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Oscar Handlin - Historian - Fulbright Scholar to France, 1954, and Australia, 1981; 1952 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Roy Franklin Nichols – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to India, 1962; 1949 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Virgil Thomson – Composer– Fulbright Scholar to France, 1960; 1949 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Peter Viereck – Poet – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1953, and Italy, 1954-55; 1949 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Viginius Dabney – Journalist and Editor – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1954; 1948 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Editorial Writing
  • Aaron Copland – Composer – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1961, Japan, 1962, Germany, 1963-64, Austria, 1964, and Italy, 1964; 1945 Pulitzer Prize in Music
  • Merle Curti – Historian – Fulbright Scholar to the United Kingdom, 1952, India, 1964, and Brazil, 1969; 1944 Pulitzer Prize in History
  • Carleton Mabee – Writer – Fulbright Scholar to Pakistan, 1952, and Japan, 1953; 1944 Pulitzer Prize in Biography or Autobiography
  • John Steinbeck – Writer – Fulbright Specialist to the Soviet Union, 1963; 1940 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
  • Robert P. Tristram Coffin – Writer and Poet – Fulbright Scholar to Greece, 1953; 1936 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
  • Eugene P. Chase – Editor – Fulbright Scholar to France, 1953 and 1956; 1934 Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Editorial Writing