Today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) named 19 institutions of higher education as Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leaders for 2024. The special recognition highlights their commitment to global engagement and academic exchange, as well as notable participation in the Fulbright Program during the 2023-2024 academic year.

The Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader status is awarded each year to institutions that actively engage with and promote the Fulbright Program, sending graduate students, faculty, administrators, and recent graduates abroad while also hosting international scholars, students, language teachers, and faculty.

This designation, announced ahead of the 2024 Annual National HBCU Week Conference hosted by the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, celebrates the growing partnership between HBCUs and the Fulbright Program. It also aims to encourage administrators, faculty, and students to engage more deeply with the program while highlighting HBCUs as significant destinations for international students and scholars.

The 19 institutions honored as Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders are:

• Alcorn State University (Mississippi)
• Bennett College (North Carolina)
• Fayetteville State University (North Carolina)
• Florida A&M University (Florida)
• Howard University (District of Columbia)
• Huston-Tillotson University (Texas)
• Jackson State University (Mississippi)
• Jarvis Christian University (Texas)
• LeMoyne-Owen College (Tennessee)
• Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
• Mississippi Valley State University (Mississippi)
• Morgan State University (Maryland)
• North Carolina A&T State University (North Carolina)
• North Carolina Central University (North Carolina)
• Prairie View A&M University (Texas)
• Spelman College (Georgia)
• Tennessee State University (Tennessee)
• Virginia State University (Virginia)
• Xavier University of Louisiana (Louisiana)

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken commended the institutions for their commitment to fostering international understanding. “This designation is a testament to your institution’s dedication to promoting global engagement and international understanding,” he said in a statement.

Scott Weinhold, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, emphasized the importance of diversity within the Fulbright Program. “The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program are committed to reflecting the full diversity of the United States,” he noted. “HBCU engagement with the Fulbright Program builds meaningful relationships between communities and people around the world.”

Howard University, a notable recipient, highlighted the profound impact of the program on its community.

“Our Fulbrighters return to the Howard community with fresh insights, a deepened cultural understanding, and a broadened worldview, laying the foundation for their personal and professional growth. Their work has an enduring and positive impact on communities and institutions, at home and abroad,” said Howard University President Dr. Ben Vinson III.

Lincoln University of Pennsylvania has a strong legacy of producing world leaders who are globally engaged and committed to social justice. Hosting Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants representing some twenty countries has been an important part of the strategy that contributes to this legacy. Lincoln recently received a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to revitalize Black Studies at the university, which, according to President Brenda A. Allen, enables Lincoln “to showcase Black Studies as a dynamic, interdisciplinary field.” To support this initiative, Lincoln is hosting an FLTA from Kenya to teach Kiswahili for the first time.

Dr. Nora Lynn Gardner coordinates the Fulbright FLTA Program at Lincoln and supports Lincoln’s students and faculty in applying for the Fulbright Program. She explains, “Our FLTAs teach foreign language classes, lead language labs, and help students develop knowledge of international cultures. This exchange fosters a true understanding of peoples of different nations within our campus community, while also allowing the FLTAs to discover American life through the HBCU experience.” Gardner commented that “our Fulbright programs bring global perspectives, world languages and cultures, and new ideas into our students’ classrooms, our faculty’s research, and our campus community,” and notes that the university’s designation as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader is a reaffirmation of its “distinctive legacy of global engagement, social responsibility, and leadership development.”

As the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program continues to expand its reach to reflect the diverse fabric of American society and societies worldwide. Beyond its collaborations with HBCUs, the program partners with other organizations, including Diversity Abroad, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, UNCF, and the White House Initiative on HBCUs, among others.

We at Watch The Yard would like to congratulate these 19 HBCUs on getting named Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders for 2024.

If you are interested in learning more about Fulbright stories check out the following articles:

• Dr. Karl Jackson, Virginia State University: HBCU Professor collaborates on water purification and youth mentorship in Ghana. See Dr. Jackson’s Story 

• Dr. Keshia Abraham, Spelman College and Florida Memorial College: Author, consultant, and international educator is transforming the world through compassionate global learning. See Dr. Abraham’s story