In support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide, the U.S. Department of State recently acknowledged 19 HBCUs as “Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders” in 13 states and Washington, D.C. The recognition highlights the HBCUs’ noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program during the 2022-23 academic year. 

The State Department established the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders Initiative to recognize and commend the strong partnership between the HBCUs and the Fulbright Program. U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright, the influential and powerful diplomat and lawmaker from Arkansas, founded the program in 1946, which is one of the most widely recognized and prestigious scholarships in the world. 

The program provides approximately 8,000 grants annually, comprising roughly 1,600 to U.S. students, 1,200 to U.S. scholars, 4,000 to foreign students, 900 to foreign visiting scholars, and several hundred teachers and professionals. The new Fulbright initiative encourages administrators, faculty, and students at HBCUs to engage with other Fulbright programs, and highlights HBCUs as a destination for international students and scholars, showcasing their deep intellectual traditions and proud history to audiences abroad. 

“Diversity is one of America’s greatest strengths, and pairing the positive power of Fulbright with the academic excellence HBCUs provides change-making opportunities for students, scholars, and campus communities both here at home and abroad,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. 

The HBCU Institutional Leader status recognizes engagement with and promotion of the Fulbright Program. Recognized HBCUs host Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and Fulbright Scholars-in-Residence, who teach in HBCU classrooms, and other international Fulbright Students and Scholars, and have U.S. students, faculty, and staff carry out Fulbright awards to study, teach, or conduct research abroad. 

On Nov. 6, the U.S. Department of State will host a virtual workshop featuring representatives from Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders to share best engagement practices to support students and faculty, increase the global footprint on campus through the Fulbright Program, host international Fulbright students and scholars, and build international networks. This event is open to the public and is specifically designed for faculty, staff, and stakeholders at HBCUs. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals, of all backgrounds and in all fields, the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges. 

The Fulbright Program implements a wide range of initiatives to ensure that its participants reflect all aspects of the diversity of U.S. society and societies abroad. To achieve that goal, the program collaborates with external stakeholders, including the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, the American Association of Community Colleges, Mobility International, and Diversity Abroad, among many others. 

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs with funding provided by the U.S. Government.