For their past work in helping host students and scholars as well as supporting the Fulbright Program, 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been named as Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders.
The honor, bestowed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), recognizes the extra efforts made by these select institutions in providing opportunities through the program to both exceptional students, faculty and administrators here in the United States and to those exchange participants from abroad.
“We salute you and your institutions for your engagement with the Fulbright Program, and for your commitment to providing life-changing opportunities to students, faculty, and administrators,” Matthew Lussenhop, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, said to the recipients. “HBCU participation is critical to fully representing the diversity of the United States through the Fulbright Program.”
The Fulbright Program, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, helps to better relations between nations through the exchange of students, ideas and diplomacy. Guidance is provided through colleges and universities who participate, including and especially those involved as Institutional Leaders from HBCUs. One of the hallmarks of the program, which offers thousands of grants each year, is its diversity. That is essential in helping those participants understand different cultures and work to solve global issues.
Howard University is among those happy to have earned a spot in continuing to shape the current and next generation of leaders.
“With our location in Washington, D.C., the Howard University community of faculty, students and staff are a great fit for the Fulbright program and its bridge to international opportunities,” said Kari Miller, Ph.D., director, Center for Honors and Scholar Development and Howard’s Fulbright program advisor. “We look forward to supporting the Fulbright program as HBCU Leaders for many years to come.”
The other HBCU Institutional Leaders include: Alabama A&M University, Bluefield State College in West Virginia, Central State University in Ohio, Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University and Tougaloo College in Mississippi, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Mississippi Valley State University, Morehouse College and Spelman College in Georgia, Morgan State University in Maryland, North Carolina Central University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University in Texas, South Carolina State University, Tennessee State University, the University of the District of Columbia and Xavier University of Louisiana
The Fulbright Program will host a virtual symposium on June 3 that will help institutions learn to use Fulbright as a means to support campus internationalization and global engagement efforts, and to build their global networks. Participating schools will take part in workshops designed to help them engage with the Fulbright Program in a number of areas, including: advising U.S. students, hosting foreign students, language teaching assistants, and visiting faculty and lecturers, as well as assisting their U.S. faculty to apply for Fulbright Scholarships to gain international teaching and research experience. It is free and open to all colleges and university faculty and staff from HBCUs and other interested institutions. Registration is required
