Appalachian named a top producer of Fulbright scholars

Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 12:13 p.m.

BOONE—The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recently announced the U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most Fulbright U.S. Scholars in 2015-16 and Appalachian State University is on the list.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

A list of top producers of Fulbright scholars and students was published in the Feb. 22 online edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education at http://chronicle.com/article/Top-Producers-of-US/235384?cid=rclink.

Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor for international education and development at Appalachian, said informational sessions for faculty interested in Fulbright Fellowships helped result in faculty member’s successful applications.

“Since 2007, the Office of International Education and Development, in collaboration with the Hubbard Programs for Faculty Excellence, has hosted a seminar/workshop for Appalachian faculty members interested in applying for Fulbright Fellowships,” he said. “At my request this work has been coordinated by Dr. Jeanne Dubino and Dr. Nina-Jo Moore. I am very pleased to see that this effort has been helpful to our faculty and I am happy that Appalachian has been recognized in this manner.”

Upcoming information sessions about Fulbright Fellowships will be held March 22 and 23 in the Hubbard Center on campus.

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Over 1,100 U.S. college and university faculty and administrators, professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers and independent scholars are awarded Fulbright grants to teach and/or conduct research annually. The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program operates in over 125 countries throughout the world. Lists of Fulbright Scholar recipients are available at http://www.iie.org/cies.

The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the United States Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.

In the United States, the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program on behalf of the Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships. The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. students and teachers to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study for graduate degrees, conduct research and teach languages.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.