An undergraduate student at UNC has been chosen as one of 40 Americans to receive the Marshall Scholarship. The program allows the students to enter graduate studies in any field at two United Kingdom institutions.

Maggie Hilderbran, from Asheville, is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UNC and was selected for the honor, the university announced earlier this month. Hilderbran is the eighteenth UNC student to receive the scholarship.

“I’m honored to have been selected for a Marshall Scholarship,” Hilderbran said in the university’s release. “It’s thrilling to know that for the next two years I’ll have the opportunity to dig deeper into my fields of study, work closely with others who share my academic interests, and experience Scottish and English culture. I especially appreciate the support I’ve received from my professors and from the Office of Distinguished Scholarships, which helped me realize this dream. I’m excited to have the honor of representing Carolina in the UK for the next two years.”

Hilderbran is planning to graduate from UNC in May as a double major in physics and religious studies. She said she’ll continue each of those studies while in England.

She will pursue a master’s degree in science and religion at the University of Edinburgh and a master’s degree in space exploration systems at the University of Leicester under the scholarship.

Hilderbran plans to work at NASA upon completion of her degrees. She has served as an intern at NASA on two occasions, according to the university.

You can read more about Hilderbran here.