Colleges

Spelman College Named HBCU Institutional Leader By Fulbright Program

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) made the announcement on Monday that Spelman College had been picked as one of 20 HBCUs to receive the distinction of Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is recognizing Spelman’s noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program.

According to ECA, Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader status has been conferred on Spelman because it has demonstrated noteworthy support for Fulbright exchange participants during the 2019-2020 academic year and has promoted Fulbright program opportunities on campus.

This initiative is part of the U.S. Department of State’s long-standing commitment to build diversity and inclusion within the Fulbright Program and within all of the Bureau’s international exchange programs. ECA established the HBCU Institutional Leader designation in 2019 to recognize the strong partnerships between the Fulbright Program and HBCUs, and to encourage the entire network of HBCUs to increase its engagement with Fulbright.

“Spelman and Fulbright are similar in their interest in students who are curious; they’re open to the possibility that there are multiple ways of getting at answers to their questions,” Michelle Hite, the Director of Prestigious International Fellowships at Spelman stated. “When students ask, ‘Who is Fulbright looking for?’ I can say, ‘They’re looking for you.”

On June 3rd, the Fulbright Program’s will hold its Fulbright HBCU Symposium to discuss Fulbright opportunities and resources for HBCUs, the benefits of a Fulbright experience, and the role that the Fulbright Program plays in supporting HBCU campus internationalization, global awareness, and engagement. This public workshop will be open to all HBCU faculty, staff, and stakeholders, as well as individuals from other institutions who are interested in attending.

This symposium will celebrate the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders by spotlighting the unique role HBCU students, faculty, and administrators play in representing American higher education and the American experience both in our country and around the world. Highlights will include remarks by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Matthew Lussenhop; a keynote address by Fulbright alumna and President of Prairie View A&M University Dr. Ruth Simmons; and workshop sessions to assist HBCUs in strengthening their relationship with the Fulbright Program.

The event will close with a panel of representatives of Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders who will share how their campuses use the array of Fulbright Program offerings to support campus internationalization goals and global engagement efforts, and to build worldwide networks, which are essential for success in our 21st-century world.