The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has named UNC-Chapel Hill a Top-Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students. This recognition is given to the U.S. colleges and universities with the highest number of applicants selected for the 2022-23 Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Carolina is a long-time top producer of Fulbright awardees. In the 2022-23 cycle, 16 Tar Heels were selected for the award. Recent graduates and current graduate students are pursuing year-long graduate studies, research or English teaching in one of more than 160 countries.
Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world, Fulbright was established over 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
“This recognition demonstrates that when our students leave Carolina, they are well prepared to enter the world as tomorrow’s leaders,” said Barbara Stephenson, vice provost for global affairs and former U.S. ambassador. “As a 30-year veteran of the American Foreign Service, I believe that educational exchange provides a tremendous opportunity for our students to become collaborative problem solvers.”
Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for Educational and Cultural Affairs, congratulated the recognized colleges and universities on behalf of President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“Thanks to the visionary leadership of these institutions, administrators and advisors, a new generation of Fulbrighters – changemakers, as I like to say – will catalyze lasting impact on their campus, in their communities and around the world,” said Satterfield. Carolina and other top producers will be formally recognized by Blinken at a reception in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21.
Fulbright alumni work to make a positive impact on their communities, sectors and the world and have included 41 heads of state or government, 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners and 78 MacArthur Fellows.
“At UNC-Chapel Hill, we have committed to strengthening global partnerships and bringing the world to Carolina so that together we can address the world’s shared challenges,” said Stephenson. “The Fulbright program is a powerful way to do that.”
By Rawan Abbasi ’20, UNC Global