U of A celebrates fourth year as Fulbright HSI Leader

For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Arizona was recognized by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright HSI Leader. The award was announced Sunday and highlights the U of A's commitment as a Hispanic-Serving Institution to the Fulbright Program, which fosters international exchange among students, scholars and professionals.

"Receiving this noteworthy distinction since the inception of this award is truly an honor," said Marla Franco, vice president of HSI Initiatives. "As a leading HSI, increasing awareness and engagement of all that the Fulbright Program has to offer is part of the work that we do to increase equitable access to some of the most enriching opportunities that our students, faculty and staff could ever imagine."

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The Fulbright Program sends U.S.-based participants abroad to lecture or conduct research for up to a year, while foreign representatives visit domestic institutions. Since 2021, the Fulbright HSI Leader designation has recognized schools for promoting Fulbright opportunities on campus, and for noteworthy engagement with Fulbright exchange participants. The U of A was previously recognized as a Fulbright HSI Leader in 2021,  2022 and 2023.

A Hispanic-Serving Institution is defined as having an undergraduate student body that is at least 25% Hispanic. The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities lists 600 HSIs in the U.S., including 20 in Arizona, which collectively serve nearly two-thirds of the nation's Hispanic undergraduate students. The association records Hispanic undergraduate enrollment at nearly 3.8 million students in 2024 and expects that figure to exceed 4.3 million by 2026, surpassing the growth of any other racial-ethnic group in the country by over 10%.

This year, 51 colleges and universities were recognized as Fulbright HSI Leaders, including seven associates colleges; five baccalaureate colleges and special focus institutions; 10 master's colleges and universities; and 29 doctoral universities.

"Selection as a Fulbright HSI leader demonstrates our university's commitment to amplifying access to the Fulbright Program," said Karna L. Walter, W.A. Franke Honors College assistant dean for student engagement and director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. "We celebrate the Fulbright goal of building mutual understanding across boundaries and encourage U of A students, faculty and alumni to deepen global connections through the Fulbright program."

Institutions were recognized for sending and/or hosting U.S. and international Fulbright students, scholars and specialists, as well as supporting on-campus engagement within the Fulbright Program during the 2023-2024 academic year. 

"Being recognized again as a Fulbright HSI Leader underscores our ongoing commitment to cross-cultural scholarship, diverse perspectives and impactful research," said Elliott Cheu, interim senior vice president of research and innovation. "Through our dedication to international exchange, the University of Arizona is fostering a more connected, informed world."

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has aimed to foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations. The program awards more than 1,700 fellowships each year to allow approximately 800 U.S. scholars to travel abroad, while 900 international scholars come to the U.S. Since its inception, Fulbright has awarded fellowships to more than 400,000 students, teachers and scholars. The program, which is active in more than 160 countries worldwide, partners with governments, academic institutions, corporations and nonprofit foundations to host scholars.

"My time as a Fulbright Scholar in South Africa was inspired by my deep commitment to fostering global educational connections and understanding diverse perspectives," said Jenny Lee, vice president of Arizona International, dean of international education and a Fulbright scholar from 2013 to 2015. "My time there led to numerous studies and ultimately co-editing a book on intra-Africa capacity building through higher education. This transformative experience has profoundly shaped my approach in my role at U of A, reinforcing my belief in the power of international education to create meaningful, lasting connections."

Faculty and staff who are interested in applying for a Fulbright award can contact Danielle Barefoot in Research Development Services. Students can contact Karna Walter in the Honors College for more information. 

Originally posted on news.arizona.edu.