Katherine Kirchdorfer, an undergraduate student at WashU Olin Business School, has been selected as a 2026-27 Lafayette Fellow by Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education.
The fellowship provides one year of tuition at a partner French institution as well as travel costs and a monthly stipend for living expenses. It also includes the French-American Leadership Program, a yearlong series of lectures, master classes, site visits and mentorship. Kirchdorfer, who also has a minor in legal studies in Arts & Sciences, will study at Sciences Po, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, one of the country’s most selective universities. In fall 2026, Sciences Po will launch its new Paris Climate School. Kirchdorfer will be part of the inaugural cohort for the school’s flagship program, the Master of Ecological Transition, Risks and Governance.
Villa Albertine is a division of the French Embassy in the United States. It supports projects and programs aimed at making French language and culture accessible to U.S. audiences and building partnerships between French and American higher education institutions.
