Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Texas Southern University has been named as a Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leader for the fourth consecutive year.
Each year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) recognizes the strong engagement of select HBCUs with the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program.
Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders demonstrate noteworthy support for Fulbright exchange participants and promote Fulbright program opportunities on campus. The initiative encourages administrators, faculty and students at HBCUs to engage with Fulbright. It also highlights the strength of HBCUs as a destination for international students and scholars and showcases their deep intellectual traditions and proud history to audiences abroad. TSU has been featured in each of the four years of the initiative.
The announcement of the 19 Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders was made by the State Department ahead of the White House Initiative on HBCUs’ National HBCU Week Conference.
Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield commended the HBCUs receiving the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader designation this year. “Diversity is one of America’s greatest strengths, and pairing the positive power of Fulbright with the academic excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities provides changemaking opportunities for students, scholars, and campus communities both here at home and abroad.”
“Texas Southern University is proud to partner with the Fulbright Program to bring some of the best and brightest students from around the world to our campus,” said TSU interim president Dr. Mary Evans Sias. “International students come to our institution to receive a top-tier education. Additionally, their presence and contributions enrich the learning and cultural experiences for their peers and professors alike. We are proud to support them from the moment they set foot on TSU grounds to the time they graduate and beyond.”
During the academic years considered as part of this recognition, TSU averaged more than 250 international students. Consistently, the top five countries of origin for international students at TSU are: Nigeria, the Bahamas, Saudi Arabia, Angola, India, and Qatar.
On November 6, Fulbright will host a virtual workshop featuring representatives from Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders. The Fulbright HBCU Virtual Workshop will share best practices for leveraging Fulbright Program engagement to support students and faculty, increase campus internationalization, host international Fulbright students and scholars, and build global 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. Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program.
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.
Learn more about the Fulbright Program at https://fulbrightprogram.org, including information about Fulbright’s efforts to further DEIA within the program and about the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders initiative.
Follow the Fulbright Program’s social media accounts and websites for highlights on HBCUs and Fulbright:
Category: Faculty & Staff, Alumni, Students, News Media