The Fulbright Association will be piloting an exciting initiative called Fulbright-in-the-Classroom to test the viability of and interest in efforts to involve Fulbright alumni formally in K-12 education in the United States.

The concept of Fulbright-in-the-Classroom builds on the experiences of Fulbright alumni and on the recognized need to increase the understanding of international affairs and foreign cultures and societies. A recent Council on Foreign Relations and National Geographic survey of college students revealed that only 55 percent of the students were able to correctly answer items on a questionnaire measuring their understanding of current world affairs, and just 29 percent of respondents earned a minimal pass of 66 percent correct or better.

When it is at its full scale, Fulbright-in-the-Classroom will be a nationwide partnership between participating Fulbright Association chapters and a variety of local organizations, including school districts, teacher organizations, World Affairs Councils, and others. To prepare Fulbrighters for their experiences and to ensure that the student interactions are relevant, we will work with partners to organize discussions about the expectations and possible lesson plans.

Michael Korff, the Foreign Service Fellow who has been volunteering at the Fulbright Association this year, prepared a proposal for the Fulbright-in-the-Classroom project and met with a variety of organizations with which we hope to partner. For now, we will pilot the program in 3-5 Fulbright Association chapters across the U.S., and we are soliciting indications of interest in participating. Interested chapters and members should contact Michael Korff to discuss the program and the expectations of participating chapters.

To review the full program concept and/or the guidelines for proposals from Fulbright Association chapters, click here.