Washington, DC – On Wednesday, April 19th the Fulbright Association was proud to present the 2022 Fulbright Prize for International Understanding to Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Doctors Corbett and Fauci were at the head of the development and distribution of the life-saving COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and assisted in allowing the world to return to normalized activity.

Watch the program here.

The ceremony opened with words from Fulbright alumnus Dr. John Bader who said of the recipients:

“Thanks to vaccines and your support, students across America have been inspired to explore the world. Through our Fulbright in the classroom program, Fulbrighters are making the world more inviting to explore and its diverse peoples more understandable by sharing their experiences with students, including those in small towns, at community colleges, and HBCUs. Our volunteers are inspiring a more diverse generation to be global citizens and future Fulbrighters.”

The Honorable Cynthia Ackron Baldwin, Chair of the National Board of the Fulbright Association, remarked:

“This evening as we honor our Laureates we reflect on the vision and values of the Fulbright Association for a peaceful and interconnected world in which all peoples and cultures are respected, diversity is valued and we are committed to mutual understanding.”

In her acceptance of the Prize, Dr. Corbett remarked on the immense progress the world had made since the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020.

“This award is given at a time when the pandemic looks different than it did three years ago. We are finally at a place where there is hope. We can all see a little bit of light. Being a part of shining that light is not only an honor, but a responsibility moving forward.”

Dr. Corbett finally offered her reflections on the meaning of the Fulbright Prize of International Understanding to her. She stated:

“This prize for international understanding is coming to me, a person who prior to the pandemic could not even quite grasp how my science on a day to day basis could positively change the world. In the beginning, I had no international understanding at all. All I had was a little motivation. What I have learned from this vaccine development moment is that one’s purpose is not always clear cut and defined. I started this pandemic as merely a scientist and by way of the universe, now I am so much more than that.”

While accepting the Fulbright Prize, Dr. Fauci spoke on the shared experiences that the world has faced as a result of the global pandemic and the collective nature of hardship, but also strength that COVID-19 has brought forth in our world:

“Now the theme of the Fulbright prize is ‘Global Understanding’ and so in the context of the global pandemic of COVID, our global understanding has been inexorably linked to experiences that we shared with the rest of the world there for there are few experiences more global than the universal nature of a historic global pandemic.”

Dr. Fauci’s closing statements provided a call for the future of international understanding and the spirit of the Fulbright mission in improving our world.

“Finally, looking ahead to my own future goals, I am committed to continuing to contribute however and wherever I can be most effective to support activities that in the spirit of William Fulbright enhance the health and wellbeing of all people in the United States and around the globe.”

The Fulbright Prize was made possible by the generous gifts of Pfizer, ADP Foundation, Rice Global, Highmark, Georgia-Pacific, Leo Berwick, EY, Venable, UPMC Health Plans, and The Pennsylvania State University.

About the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding

The Fulbright Prize honors one of the world’s most prestigious international exchange programs, as well as the vision of its sponsor, the late Senator J. William Fulbright. Awarded by the Fulbright Association since 1993, the Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to promoting peace through greater understanding among peoples, cultures, and nations. The Prize has a distinguished history of laureates, among them Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu, Bill Clinton, Vaclav Havel, Corazon Aquino, Mary Robinson, Doctors without Borders, Bill and Melinda Gates, Angela Merkel, and Bono. More on the Prize, with a complete list of laureates, at fulbright.org/prize

About the Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year, marking its creation in 1946 through Congressional legislation proposed by Senator J. William Fulbright. The Program embodies the visionary concept of promoting mutual understanding between countries through academic and bicultural exchange. The Program provides exchanges between the United States and more than 160 countries worldwide, funded by the U.S. Government with bipartisan support and contributions from 52 foreign countries whose permanent commissions execute the Fulbright Program on a binational level. Annually, about 8,000 grantees, American and foreign, participate in the Fulbright exchange as students, scholars, researchers, English teachers, and professional specialists. Since its inception, the Program has sponsored approximately 390,000 grantees. Read more at eca.state.gov/fulbright

About the Fulbright Association

The Fulbright Association is the alumni organization of the Fulbright Program in the United States, representing over 140,000 American grantees. Founded in 1977, it is an independent non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, with 55 chapters in 38 states. Its mission is to continue and extend the Fulbright tradition of education, advocacy, and service through local, national and international programs. The Fulbright Association works with partners in more than 160 countries and 70 sister alumni associations around the world. Read more at fulbright.org

A project by Don Fels during his 2004-05 Fulbright to Kochi, India: employing out-of-work billboard painters to paint big the ‘legacy’ of Vasco da Gama’s arrival there 500 years ago

The Art of Cultural Exchange

By Donald Fels

Every country is proud of its artistic heritage and excited to celebrate and share it with visitors. But young people in many places don’t feel supported in their desire to become artists. I believe that the Fulbright Program could and should help change that by better promoting Fulbright Fellowship opportunities for independent artists. 

When, in my 70s, as a Fulbrighter in Uzbekistan, I was asked often how I had managed to sustain a life as a working artist. As part of the Soviet Union, Uzbek artists were systematically sent to Siberia, censored, or killed. Even today as an independent country, there is rampant fear and trepidation in choosing such a path. I was told over and over how exciting it was for these young people to meet a ‘real’ artist. Just being there, artists inspire.

Many countries offering Fulbright Fellowships omit art as one of the ‘disciplines’ or ‘professions’ for which individuals can apply. Perhaps this is an oversight or an unintended consequence. Yet having strong arts communities enrichens everyone, helping to build a robust sense of place, which in turn makes being there more attractive, productive, sustainable, and insightful. Numerous studies have shown that art and art events deliver considerable economic benefits. And certainly, a life spent working as an artist brings untold personal (and familial) rewards to those fortunate and stubborn enough to stay the course.

Everywhere, but especially in developing countries, those driven to become artists often struggle to find mentors and role models. Encouraging Fulbright artist applications would provide countries with an opportunity to bolster their own burgeoning artists.

However, few independent artists feel encouraged to apply for Fulbright opportunities. I’ve spoken with many American artists who are convinced that Fulbright grants are intended only for academics. When I served on the peer-selection panel for Indian Fulbright Scholars (the only artist and the only non-academic on the panel of eight), I noted that, in fact, nearly every artist who applied to India (one of the countries which encourages applicants from artists) taught at a university.

The lack of independent artist applications is an unfortunate reality because, as a group, working artists possess characteristics that could well contribute to making a Fulbright experience successful. By nature, curious, open-minded, quick on their feet, and adaptable, they know how to change course. As we Fulbright alumni know, the proposal one makes as a Fulbright applicant is rarely exactly what one can or even should carry out on the ground. Most importantly, in their host country, Fulbrighters are expected to be cultural ambassadors; worldwide, art is a bedrock of culture.

By better attracting arts practitioners and finding new ways to include them in the Fulbright Program, we can better work towards the highly worthy goal of cultural exchange. For example, artists should be encouraged to apply for the Specialist program, from which they are presently excluded. This would allow them to carry out short-term projects, perhaps in collaboration with others in-country.

When I received my first Fulbright Grant, I was several years out of college and had been exhibiting in galleries for over a decade. Deciding to apply for a Fulbright, I had to shoehorn my application into a slot intended for recent undergraduates. Targeting working artists would produce a better fit for them and for the Fulbright Program. Getting the word out to regional, state, and city arts commissions that applications are welcome from practicing artists would greatly broaden the pool for practitioners.

America is not just a country of those who can design a water system, teach economics, or research geomorphology. It is also where artists, delivering beauty and hope, dream, think grandly, look closely, and present the world in challenging new ways. With artists on deck, the Fulbright Program will sail off better equipped for our global journey ahead.

Visual artist Don Fels has been a Fulbright Fellow in Italy (1985-6), a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar in India (2004-5) and a Fulbright Scholar in Uzbekistan (2019). His work as an artist can be viewed at www.artisthinker.com and www.felspuglia.com.

Dr. Anthony Fauci and his basketball team at Regis High School.

Ready to Do: A Reflection on Dr. Anthony Fauci’s High School Experience

By Brendan D. Thomson, MD and William Gallaher, PhD                                                      

To understand the Dr. Anthony Fauci, MD, of today, it is useful to learn of Dr. Fauci’s formative years at Regis High School in New York. As fellow graduates of Regis High School, we would like to share about Dr. Fauci’s high school experience and how his early education impacted his future leadership.

Regis was then – and is now – the leading Catholic high school in the United States. It is highly selective and is the only tuition-free private preparatory school in the United States.

On the first Tuesday of September 1954, Dr. Fauci left his home above his family’s pharmacy in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn, entered the local subway station to later emerge at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. He walked the two short blocks to 85^th Street and Park Avenue and entered Regis High School through the historic “Regis Tunnel.”

The academic program at Regis was rigorous. A third of students who entered with Dr. Fauci in 1954 would not graduate. In addition to four years of Latin and two years of a modern language, each student was required to study three years of classic Greek.

At Regis, Dr. Fauci was exposed to beloved educator Father Stephen V. Duffy, S.J., Homer’s The Odyssey and its hero, Odysseus, the “role model” for the ancient Greeks. The single word used to describe Odysseus in the first line of the Odyssey was polutropos; its connotation is multi-turning and resourceful.

Dr. Fauci also loved basketball and in his senior year was captain of the varsity team. Before each game, and on many other occasions, he would sing the words of the Regis fight song:

May ours be the noble heart,
Strong to endure,
Daring ‘tho’ skies be dark and roadways unsure,
May ours be the heroes part
Ready to do                       

The Dr. Fauci of today was forged by his spirited leadership in high school and his early classical education. This was exemplified during these times of significant public health threats when Dr. Fauci maintained solid dedication to truth and accuracy. Like Odysseus, he was polutropos as he guided his coworkers at the National Institutes Health, Congress, United States presidents, the medical community, and the at-risk public.

As individuals and as a society, we need role models, leaders, mentors as other dark skies and unsure roadways shall occur. Dr. Anthony Fauci, with “noble heart…and ready to do,” is such a role model.

Drs. Thomson and Gallaher graduated from Regis High School in 1962, four years after Dr. Fauci graduated. Drs. Thomson, Gallaher and Fauci’s professional paths crossed in the 1980’s during their work combatting the AIDS epidemic.

Brendan D. Thomson, MD, MBA, is a Fulbright alumnus to Nepal (2013) and Vietnam (2015). He is a 1946 Society member.

William Gallaher, PhD, is Professor Emeritus Virology at Louisiana State University.

We are saddened to share that Mark Bookman, PhD, passed away unexpectedly on December 16, 2022. Mark completed a Fulbright U.S. Fellowship to Japan and this past year, became the Vice President of the Fulbrighters with Disabilities Chapter at the Fulbright Association.

Please take a moment to read his website, where he shares his work as a “historian of disability policy and connected social movements in Japanese and transnational contexts.”

https://bookmanresearch.com/

On December 30^th, the Fulbrighters with Disabilities Chapter gathered virtually to honor Mark’s life and contributions to the disability community (flyer shared above). The chapter “will be honoring Mark’s mission for the chapter going forward into the New Year with [their] new advocacy position, future events, and more.” In a post honoring Mark, Itto Outini, founder of the chapter, shared that “even though he died young, he managed to contribute a great deal of scholarship to the world before he died.”

We remember Mark for his contributions to the Fulbright community, the disability community, and for touching the lives of many.

Mark’s Obituary: https://www.asianstudies.org/mark-ross-bookman-phd-1991-2022/

“What’s your favorite Chinese food?” Leland Lazarus (Panama 2013-2014) asked. 

“We love to eat DUMPLINGS!” the students yelled.

“I’m from a big city in Washington state. Which city is that?” Mycal Ford (Taiwan 2012-2013) asked.

“SEATTLE!” the students responded in unison.

Such conversations are quite normal in a 5th grade class. But what made this different was that it was all in Mandarin!

On Tuesday, November 29th, Leland, Mycal, and Obi Eneh gave a presentation in fluent Mandarin to over 30 5th grade students at Washington Yu Ying elementary school. 

It was part of the Fulbright Association’s “Fulbright in the Classroom” (FIC) initiative, where alumni across the nation encourage students from diverse backgrounds to consider studying abroad, learning languages, and applying for Fulbright later on in their academic journey. 

FA was honored to host a FIC at Yu Ying, a top-tier school in Washington, DC, that provides Chinese language immersion in a structured inquiry-based environment. Yu Ying’s mission is to “inspire and prepare young people to create a better world by challenging them to reach their full potential in a nurturing Chinese/English educational environment.” It is also ranked as one of the most diverse schools in the United States.

“We strive to give them real world experiences, and as a Chinese immersion school, we value experiences where they can practice using their Mandarin skills,” said Sarah Perkins, Project Development and Grants Coordinator at Yu Ying. “We were fortunate to have Leland, Mycal and Obi, three professionals, who, like them, are not native speakers, but who are successfully using the language in their lives.”

Leland shared how he loved watching Chinese movies when he was little, but that he didn’t have the chance to start learning Mandarin until he got to college. He talked about working and living in China, and his time serving as a U.S. diplomat in that country. Mycal told stories about being a teacher in both mainland China and Taiwan, and taught the 5th graders how to pronounce his hometown of Seattle in Mandarin (西雅图 xīyǎtú). Obi, who attended virtually, kept the students in rapt attention as he described his own experience living in Harbin in northeast China. 

Each speaker represented at least one of three organizations: Fulbright, the Black China Caucus and the National Association for Black Engagement in Asia. 

“We were so incredibly impressed by these students,” Leland said. “To see so many diverse students being able to communicate in Mandarin makes me extremely confident about the future of our country. I hope that, when the students see Obi, Mycal, and myself speaking to them in Mandarin, it’ll motivate them to keep studying throughout their entire academic and professional journey.”

“Learning Mandarin Chinese and studying abroad in China has had a huge impact on my life,” Obi said. “So it was an honor and a privilege for me to share my experience with young Chinese language learners. I felt energized by their enthusiasm and curiosity.”

“The excitement the students displayed towards language learning was inspiring!” Mycal said. My hope is that moments and opportunities like these further normalize the study of foreign languages for the students.”

“When people hear Fulbright, doors open for you.” That’s what Wen-kuni Ceant, Fulbright alumna to Senegal (2017-2018), told 19 bright students from DC International School (DCI). Wen-kuni, along with fellow Fulbright alumni Ashley Morefield (Côte d’Ivoire 2018-2019), Mycal Ford (Taiwan 2012-2013), and Leland Lazarus (Panama 2013-2014), shared their Fulbright stories with these 9th and 10th graders. 

It was part of the Fulbright Association’s “Fulbright in the Classroom” (FIC) initiative, where alumni across the nation encourage students from diverse backgrounds to consider studying abroad, learning languages, and applying for Fulbright later on in their academic journey.  

DCI was the perfect host, given its mission to create global citizens through advanced language learning, student agency, and the International Baccalaureate curriculum. DCI is the only IB-for-all, advanced language public school in Washington, DC, and serves a diverse student body of middle and high school students. The goal is that, by the time the students graduate, they will be fluent in Mandarin, Spanish, or French.

“Because international mindedness is the cornerstone of our academic programming, Fulbright in the Classroom was an amazing opportunity for DCI students to learn about the benefits of studying abroad, learning languages and traveling internationally,” said Ezra Miller, DCI’s IB Diploma Program Coordinator. “Many of our students want to pursue careers in global politics and international relations, but prior to the Fulbright in the Classroom event, they were unaware of the many awards and fellowships available through the Fulbright Program. We are so grateful to the Fulbright alumni who visited our school and shared their stories with the DCI community!”

Wen-kuni shared her own journey, coming from Miami, graduating from Howard and Drexel universities, before applying for her Fulbright to Senegal, where she researched that country’s public health infrastructure. She remembered how a specific faculty member provided constant mentorship for her throughout the long application process. “Make sure you seek out mentors who will pour into you and really help you succeed,” she advised. Wen-kuni is also the Co-Founder of Politicking, an organization that encourages young people to get out the vote. “Voting is one of the greatest things you can do as a citizen of this country,” she stressed.

Mycal Ford shared stories of cross-cultural misunderstandings during his time living in Asia. “When I first traveled to Japan, my host family served me tea, but I thought it was too hot and not sweet enough, so I asked for ice cubes and sugar”, he explained. At that time, my sense of cultural awareness was quite limited. When he lived in China, many of his Chinese friends just assumed that he was good at basketball, just because he’s Black. “For me, it was always an opportunity to change local people’s idea about what an American can look like,” he added. Mycal, who leads an organization called the Black China Caucus, also encouraged students to consider other exchange programs, including the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), Critical Language Scholarship, and the Boren Fellowship.

Ashley Morefield discussed her academic journey from Dickinson College, spending a year studying in France, and traveling all across Europe, all covered by her university. “Make sure that you do a study abroad program that is covered by your student aid,” she advised. Ashley did her Fulbright in Côte’d’Ivoire teaching English, and she is now a graduate student at Georgetown University and a Thomas R. Pickering Fellow, which means she will become a U.S. Foreign Service Officer upon graduation. Ashley is also one of the chairs of the executive leadership of Fulbright Noir, an Affinity group established to support Black Fulbrighters.

Leland Lazarus began his presentation to the rapt audience with a Chinese proverb: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. He went on to share each step in his own journey: teaching English in Panama on his Fulbright, receiving the Pickering Fellowship and serving as a U.S. diplomat in China and the Caribbean, working in the Department of Defense, and now leading a team as an Associate Director at Florida International University. Along the way he visited remote areas in China, encouraged young people in both China and the Caribbean to study in the U.S., and met stars like Jackie Chan and Rihanna. “You hear all of our backgrounds and stories of traveling around the world,” he said, “but remember that we all started just like each of you. It all begins with a single step; with what you’re all doing right now at DCI, you’ve already made that first step.”

In more ways than I can count, the Fulbright made me who I am today.

Before becoming a Fulbright scholar, I spent six years homeless in my country of origin, Morocco. Since becoming a Fulbright scholar, I’ve been recruited to work for the UN and courted by industry-leading companies, including my current employer, AudioEye.

Before becoming a Fulbright scholar, my blindness reduced me to, at best, a charity case, and at worst a contemptible burden. Since becoming a Fulbright scholar, my work ethic, education, fluency in seven languages and many modes of Braille, and years of experience and passion for journalism, debate, and storytelling have all taken on new significance.

Before becoming a Fulbright scholar, I was accustomed to being slurred as an orphan, a bastard, and worse because my family had abandoned me. Since becoming a Fulbright scholar, my story of resilience, survival, and unlikely thriving has taken on a power of its own.

The Fulbright recognized my worth before any other organization, invested in my dream of pursuing an MA in journalism, and connected me with influential, talented people the world over. Most important of all, they never required that I compromise on any essential element of who I am. Instead, they’ve enabled me to become the Itto I’ve always aspired to be.

Recently, thanks in large part to the Fulbright, I’ve joined another organization that treats me in much the same way. AudioEye is a well-respected digital accessibility company whose mission is to eradicate every barrier to digital access for people with disabilities like myself—and they recruited me. As their new Accessibility Outreach Manager, I’ve enjoyed respect from my colleagues, a flexible work schedule, and trust that I’ll fulfill my duties if given the time and tools I need. Since I work from home, I don’t rely on others to get me to and from the office or waste my time and energy navigating fickle transportation services. I just wake up every morning, have my coffee, and get straight to work without delay.

Since October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, I’ll pause here to point out that these are more than privileges for me and many other people with disabilities. For those of us with blindness and chronic pain—or, for that matter, dyslexia, depression, para- or quadriplegia, anxiety, Deafness, ADHD, chronic illness, or any other disability you can name—remote work, flexible schedules, and faith in our commitment and abilities can mean the difference between success and failure, retention and dismissal, opportunity and dependency. In the absence of family and community support, the stakes are even higher: life and death.

That’s why I’m using my platform to urge more companies to not just hire people with disabilities, but also take the necessary steps to empower us to succeed, embracing remote work and flexible scheduling, promoting positive workplace cultures, and readily providing accommodations. This will benefit employers, too, unlocking the full range of employees’ insights and expertise in service of the company’s mission.

At the same time, I hope the Fulbright will continue to invest in students and scholars with disabilities and expand its outreach efforts to vulnerable communities whose members, no matter

how talented, may never have imagined that such opportunities lie within their reach. Making its commitment to students and scholars with disabilities more explicit and vocal will help the Fulbright pave the way for others like myself.

Like all gifts, those that these organizations have granted me—trust, flexibility, respect, and connections—come with responsibilities. I now find myself in a position to give back to the communities that have empowered me while chipping away at the barriers to access that prevent so many passionate, creative, hardworking, and talented people from advancing on their journeys. I do not take this opportunity lightly. Neither should you.

If you’re reading this, you likely have connections with the Fulbright and hence enjoy a higher-than-average degree of influence within your community. This means you’re well positioned to make these changes happen, too. I ask for your collaboration in service of my life’s work, and AudioEye’s mission, of removing barriers, expanding opportunities, dismantling stigma, and making the world a more accessible place for all.

Itto Outini

Fulbright Alumna | Accessibility Outreach Manager at AudioEye | Founder & Representative of Fulbrighters with Disabilities | MA in Journalism & Strategic Media from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Leland Lazarus is a Fulbright to Panama alum, current member of the Fulbright Association Board of Directors, and a current 1946 Society member.

To learn more about the 1946 Society, please visit the 1946 Society webpage. 

Q: Leland, can you share some background information about yourself?
A: I’m originally from New York, although my parents are both from Panama. Growing up, my mom spoke a little bit of Spanish in the household, but I didn’t really have a strong understanding or affinity to the country of my heritage. So, I always yearned to go back, spend time there, and meet family members – but I never had the opportunity to do so in my youth. Then college rolled around, and I was able to finally go to Panama for a few summers to teach English in a rural area and to do some research. After college, I got a Fulbright Award to spend the full year in Panama and to teach English at the University of Panama. That was an amazing experience, because I finally got to spend a large amount of time in the country of my heritage. I got to meet some family members who were still there, and I was finally able to really connect with that side of my culture.

Q: Could you tell me more about your Fulbright to Panama in 2013? What was that experience like?
A: The first thing that stood out to me was that Latin America and the Caribbean are just as diverse as the United States. Being an Afro-Latino or Afro-Panamanian, there are so many people of Afro origin, of Chinese origin, etc. I think that a lot of Americans feel that the U.S. is the only truly diverse country in the world, which is not true. So, it was great to be in a country where the people walking around looked like me. Another thing that I’ll never forget is my students. I was teaching them English, but they were also teaching me parts of Panamanian culture that I didn’t know about: local slang, specific regional cuisines, things like that. On weekends, I would hang out with some of the students. They would host me to hang out with their families. Today, I still keep in touch with some of them. In fact, I still talk to one of them almost every Sunday.

2013 Fulbright to Panama

Q: You expressed that during your time in Panama, you bore witness to a system where disadvantaged college students were not afforded the chance to develop their English skills. Can you describe how the Fulbright Program educates international students about their opportunities?
A: While I was in Panama, I found that if you were of a lower socioeconomic status, you didn’t really have the opportunities to learn English. In a country where the Panama Canal is such an important waterway for international trade, English is really a necessity. In such a service-oriented economy, that means a student who does not have a good command of English is unfortunately at a gross disadvantage. I think that, for me and the other Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, having the opportunity to, in our own small way, reduce that gaps between the socioeconomic classes was an amazing opportunity. That’s happening every year for hundreds of students all around the world right, as Fulbrighters go abroad and teach English or do a research project in developing countries all around the world.

Q: Following your time in Panama, you joined the Fulbright Association, and, separately, you established the Dream Scholarship. Can you tell me about how the scholarship came about?
A: Once I had identified this gap between the socioeconomic classes, I would even see it within classes. Students of the same year might both be English majors, but one student had a much better control of the language — even close to an American accent — and the other could not even speak a word. It made me think: “How could it be that these two students were from the same class?” It made no sense. Additionally, many students just didn’t have the opportunity to study abroad. I understood from my own language-learning experiences with Spanish and Mandarin that the only way to really improve a foreign language is to go to a country where that language is spoken and really immerse yourself one hundred percent in that culture. What I wanted to do was to create a scholarship or non-profit to allow students from these lower socioeconomic and marginalized areas to have the opportunity to study abroad in the United States.

Leland with his Fulbright mentor, Herma Williams, at the 2021 Fulbright Prize Ceremony (March 2022)

Q: I was also hoping we could also touch on the 1946 Society, which was initially established as a collective of Fulbright Association supports in 2015, and is now a full community of almost a hundred members. What is it about the 1946 Society, and the Fulbright Association in general, that keeps members fiscally and emotionally invested in its further development year after year?
A: I think over the years, meeting more Fulbright alumni, you hear the same story that Fulbright helped change their lives. I mean, it absolutely changed mine. It put me on the path to a career in international affairs. It was through my Fulbright experience that I ended up learning about the State Department and a career in diplomacy. Being a citizen diplomat encouraged me to then apply for the Foreign Service, which led to my current position at the Department of Defense. This is the story not just for me, but for so many Fulbright alumni. They also agree that fostering mutual cultural understanding is critical, especially nowadays when in so many countries around the world, and even in some areas in the United States, we see the rapid spread of populism and nationalism. I think organizations like the Fulbright Association are so important to keep those connections between the U.S. and countries around the world.

Q: I understand you’re closely involved with the Fulbright in the Classroom. Could you share your experiences with the program and why it is so important?
A: Fulbright in the Classroom is one of our flagship volunteer programs, where Fulbright alumni around the country are able to go to local high schools and middle schools and even colleges to share their Fulbright story in front of student audiences. The goal of course is to encourage more students to consider applying for the Fulbright once they attend college or are about to graduate from college. For me, one of my main goals is to increase diversity and inclusion in the ranks of our Fulbright alumni network, and I will never forget that when I was doing my Fulbright, I was the only person of color. There needs to be more Fulbright scholars who look like America because by doing so they are sharing the richness of our U.S. diversity. [Fulbright grantees are] breaking down barriers and stereotypes that other people and other countries around the world might unfortunately have about people of other backgrounds. So, that’s why I do Fulbright in the Classroom. I’ve done maybe five or six presentations so far for high schools in D.C. and in New York. A couple weeks ago, I did one for high school and middle school students in Cleveland, with the idea that hopefully these young people may be seeing themselves in me. They could say, hey, if this Afro-Latino guy from New York can live in Latin America and live in China and speak these languages, then I can do it too.

Leland sharing his story, virtual Fulbright in the Classroom session.

For Immediate Release  

September 21, 2022 

Drs. Kizzmekia Corbett and Anthony Fauci to be jointly awarded the 2022 Fulbright Prize 

Public health leaders to be honored for their success in combatting the COVID pandemic 

Award ceremony to take place in Washington, DC on April 19, 2023 

Washington, DC – The Fulbright Association will award the 2022 J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding jointly to Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett and Dr. Anthony Fauci , whose leadership and scientific discoveries have been critical to the abatement of the COVID-19 pandemic, saving millions of lives worldwide and helping to restore a fuller and safer life for billions. Their success has allowed the peoples of the world to reconnect, and they have reminded us all that strong public health is critical to international exchange, cooperation, and travel. 

“The Association is awarding the Prize to these Laureates for their respective contributions and accomplishments in public health globally, but we are also recognizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration to success,” says Association board chair, the Honorable Cynthia Baldwin. “That is why we are so happy to present this Prize jointly to Drs. Fauci and Corbett.” 

“This Prize, by extension, honors all researchers, scientists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals who have contributed to the global fight against the coronavirus,” adds Association executive director, Dr. John Bader. “Fulbrighters worldwide are grateful to these heroes for their courage, sacrifice, hard work, and commitment to science.” 

The award ceremony to take place in Washington, DC on April 19, 2023. For more information about the event, sponsorship, and Fulbright Prize, visit www.fulbright.org/prize.

About Dr. Anthony Fauci 

Dr. Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, where he oversees an extensive research portfolio focused on infectious and immune-mediated diseases. As the long-time chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Dr. Fauci has made many seminal contributions in basic and clinical research and is one of the world’s most-cited biomedical scientists. He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives throughout the developing world. 

About Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett 

Dr. Corbett was a senior fellow and scientific lead at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center. A leading COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-designed by Dr. Corbett’s NIH team from viral sequence and rapidly deployed to industry partner, Moderna, Inc., for Phase 1 clinical trial, which unprecedentedly began only 66 days from viral sequence release. mRNA-1273 is a now used around the world to prevent COVID-19 disease. Alongside mRNA-1273, Dr. Corbett boasts a patent portfolio which also includes universal coronavirus and influenza vaccine concepts and novel therapeutic antibodies. She is now an assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

About the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding 

The Fulbright Prize honors one of the world’s most prestigious international exchange programs, as well as the vision of its sponsor, the late Senator J. William Fulbright. Awarded by the Fulbright Association since 1993, the Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to promoting peace and a better life through greater understanding and cooperation among peoples, cultures, and nations. The Prize has a distinguished history of laureates, among them Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu, Bill Clinton, Vaclav Havel, Corazon Aquino, Mary Robinson, Doctors without Borders, Bill and Melinda Gates, Angela Merkel, and most recently Bono. More on the Prize, with a complete list of laureates, at fulbright.org/prize 

About the Fulbright Program 

The Fulbright Program celebrated its 75th Anniversary last year, marking its creation in 1946 through Congressional legislation proposed by Senator J. William Fulbright. The Program embodies the visionary concept of promoting mutual understanding between countries through academic and bicultural exchange. The Program provides exchanges between the United States and more than 160 countries worldwide, funded by the U.S. Government with bipartisan support and contributions from 49 foreign countries whose permanent commissions execute the Fulbright Program on a binational level. Annually, about 8,000 grantees, American and foreign, participate in the Fulbright exchange as students, scholars, researchers, English and other language teachers, and professional specialists. Since its inception, the Program has sponsored over 400,000 grantees. Read more at eca.state.gov/fulbright 

About the Fulbright Association 

The Fulbright Association is the alumni organization of the Fulbright Program in the United States, representing over 140,000 American grantees. Founded in 1977, it is an independent non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, with 56 chapters in 39 states. Its mission is to continue and extend the Fulbright tradition of education, advocacy, and service through local, national, and international programs. Read more at fulbright.org 

Press Contact 

Seth Nelson 

seth@frontwoodstrategies.com  

Learn more and purchase tickets

Stephen Gardner, Interviewer

Dr. Jim Fatzinger, Director of Fulbright Kentucky Chapter

Hello, Dr. Fatzinger. We’re happy to highlight  the Kentucky Chapter. Before we touch on that, could you tell me a little bit about your background?                                   Sure, Stephen. I’m proud to represent the Fulbright Association’s Kentucky Chapter. I’m currently a faculty member and in my second term as the chapter president of the Kentucky Chapter. Working with a fantastic board and group of officers, I started as vice- president and worked my way up. I love education and was a member of the Fulbright specialist roster. I have two doctorate degrees, one from Vanderbilt University and the other from the University of Florida. I completed post-master’s work at Oxford and my postgraduate work at Harvard University, as well as a higher education leadership development program. I really relate to the Fulbright mission. Service is so important, just as education is important, and building relationships across borders is imperative, so it is a pleasure to lead the members of the Kentucky Chapter.

You described the Kentucky Chapter as a fairly new chapter, established in the summer of 2019. Could you describe your experience taking the helm of such a new chapter?

It’s really been fun. I have to give credit to our founding members: Ann Riedling, Fred Ruppel, and Wanda Dodson, who, really sowed the seeds of a solid foundation for the chapter. When I took over, we had the opportunity to consider the Fulbright vision in developing a foundational mission and the strategic priorities for the chapter. We set out to align our projects with (1) the Fulbright mission, (2) our strategic priorities, and (3) getting our feet underneath us. The annual picnic was the was the first official project of our chapter, and that’s still the project that’s best attended. Now, post-COVID, we are continuing to welcome new members, while also recognizing that Fulbrighters are really busy people. Fulbrighters are always on the move and they’re making an impact around the globe, so we have a membership approach that recognizes that members are always on the move. Sometimes we’re online, sometimes we meet face-to-face, but we meet our membership where they’re at.

The Fulbright Association, Kentucky Chapter Annual Picnic

As the chapter continues to meet that mission and expand, what kind of culture are you looking to build for Fulbrighters in Kentucky?

So happy you asked! We want to focus on the Fulbright mission, and we want to build a culture that is in alignment with relationships, networks, and opportunities — similar to what the 400,000 alumni of the Fulbright Program have experienced [through the Program]. We want members to be able to share their best and most treasured memories from during their Fulbright experience and come together to learn from others as those relationships continue to develop right here in Kentucky. Some of that will be through service, some of that will be through advocacy, and some of it will be in raising awareness and nurture future Fulbrighters to have the experiences we’ve had both locally and abroad.

Locally, your chapter launched the Kentucky Summer of Service Challenge in during the summer of 2022. Can you tell me more about this project?

Absolutely! We want to recognize that Fulbrighters are involved [in their communities] every day. A Fulbrighter isn’t a Fulbrighter for the week, the semester, or the year that they’re pursuing an opportunity. They had habits that they formed before they went on their Fulbright experience, and then they’ve had things that they continue to do based off the networks that they’ve built through their experiences.

We want to recognize the impact that Fulbrighters have — not only locally but around the globe. Through our service projects, one member is involved with a world library association providing books for young students. Another member has a family in Sierra Leone whom she helped by installing toiletry systems and certain types of systems that helped with irrigation; that was her service. We also have service here in Kentucky. It might be helping with the Eastern Kentucky floods, or it might be participating with other service organizations that we partner with on a monthly or weekly basis. We want to recognize through the Kentucky Summer of Service Challenge that Fulbrighters are not just serving when they’re on their Fulbright, but they’re making an impact for years afterwards, in the state of Kentucky, in the United States, and even while abroad. 

Kentucky Chapter members can post a picture of what they’re doing in service on our Fulbright Association Chapter Page, so that we can continue to share in this fellowship. We’d also like to invite all members of Fulbright chapters from around the United States to join us and post those pictures so that the service continues. While the Summer of Service concludes in late September, our service doesn’t. Our service and our fellowship will continue. Perhaps this will become an annual project, and perhaps a bordering state will pick up the Summer of Service Challenge, or maybe another Fulbright Association chapter will pick up a “Fall of Service.” 

Dr. Fatzinger, is there anything else you would like to say about the Kentucky Chapter?

We want to say thank you: thank you to every member who serves in this project, thank you to every Fulbrighter who is serving around the United States domestically.

Thanks to all those Fulbrighters who built relationships, are still leading domestically, and are continuing to serve even in the midst of some of these challenging times that we’ve had. Who would have thought that we would have had a pandemic on our watch? Who would have thought we would have had so much technological influence that eliminated borders and brought people closer together?

I encourage all members of the Fulbright Association’s 55 chapters, the 400,000 Fulbright Program alumni, those still hoping to become Fulbrighters, and friends of Fulbright to participate in service.

Thank you to the members of the Kentucky Chapter for participating in this Summer of Service Challenge.

– Stephen Gardner, Public Engagement Summer Intern

Stephen Gardner, Interviewer

Alicia Montague, Director for National Events

Alicia, thank you so much for joining me today. It’s great to finally meet you. Can you tell me more about yourself, and how you got involved with the Fulbright Association? 

My first real job was at the University of Maryland University College, which is now called the University of Maryland Global Campus. Afterwards, I went to Johns Hopkins University and then I ended up at the University of Maryland Career Center. There, I organized events – 90% of my job involved events in that role. Afterward, I decided to go into events, larger events. I got a job at NASPA, the largest association for student affairs professionals, and I was there for about five years before [I joined the team at] the Fulbright Association, and here I am. I’ve been here for almost a year. I chose [to work at the] Fulbright Association because I wanted to move back into a smaller office and apply what I learned to the Fulbright Association. It’s a prestigious name, Fulbright, and it is involved with higher education, which is my passion.

As the Director for National Events, can you reflect on a time when the Fulbright Association, or the program itself left a lasting impact on your cultural understanding?

Working here, I have developed a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Fulbrighter and how Fulbrighters give back. It’s not just a program for the rich; the Association is trying to make it more accessible and get the word out that this program exists for everyone regardless of background. In learning that, I saw how important the Program is. Also, when I first started, I got to sit in on the 2021 Annual Conference, and I got to meet people that had Fulbright experiences. The passion that they had was ridiculous. They were truly passionate about the work they did, the countries they went to, the people they met, the foods they ate — and they were always willing and excited to share that experiences. So, I think that opened my eyes more to the passion that people who experience the Fulbright Program have.

The upcoming 45th Annual Conference is the first in-person conference since the start of COVID-19. What are you hoping to accomplish with this year’s conference?

I want it to be a fun conference. It’s been a little over two years since Fulbright Association members have come together in person, and I want this to be a reunion at which they come together, have fun, and network. There will be a lot of educational sessions and professional development, but we’re trying to do a lot of fun things as well. There will be a party on Friday night during which there will be time for people to meet each other and talk to each other outside of that learning environment. I really wanted the conference to embody coming together again and making connections — hopefully, [attendees will] leave with more knowledge and more connections. I’ve noticed that people do want to be together again, and we’re taking the proper precautions…so they can have fun but in a safe way.

Can we expect any social distancing, or will guests be required to wear masks for entry?

Attendees are welcome to wear masks if they choose; however, everyone in attendance will be required to be vaccinated. We will have enough room for people to social distance as well. Recommended guidelines may change by October…so we will continues to follow those closely.

You have already touched on the theme of this year’s conference being a reunion. Are there any other highlights of this year’s conference that you are particularly excited about?

I mentioned the Fulbright party on Friday — that will be a new one! Also, the Fulbright Talks! The theme for this year’s Fulbright Talks is Resilience. It’s sort of like a like a TedTalk, just 10 minutes: say a few words about what it is that you’ve been through and how you overcame it.

I am also really excited about the keynote! Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova will deliver the keynote. Ambassador Markarova will speak on the war in Ukraine, then join a panel of distinguished scholars and diplomats, moderated by Association board member and Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi.

We’ll have a mobile app this year, which is new for a Fulbright Conference, and we’ll be able to send out push notifications if anything changes. If sessions get cancelled, people will know as soon as the app updates. I’m looking forward to implementing that this year.

Overall, I’m just excited that it’s my first Conference at the Fulbright Association.

Will Fulbrighters be able to communicate with each other via the app, much like social media?

Attendees will be able to see who else is in attendance and connect with each other. If we [as attendees] are near each other, we can shake our phones at the same time, and we will automatically connect that way. We can also chat with each other. There is a Facebook-like wall where people can post pictures, and the app can also be used as a schedule.

We will also have the program book, but as soon as the program is printed, it is already out of date. The app automatically updates, and it will still have the schedule.

Attendees will be able to add certain sessions and events to their own schedule, so they can create a personalized set schedule based on what they personally want to attend. The app will also have daily welcome videos, so now it’s just spreading the word and getting the attendees to download the app.

I’m sure they’ll know to download it now! Is there anything else Fulbrighters should know or anticipate ahead of attending the conference?

Expect lots of opportunities to network, to have a good time, and to reconnect!

Lastly, I’m curious to know, are there any plans in store for next year’s annual conference, or the conferences to follow?

Moving forward, we plan to regularly hold the Conference in a different location, rotating on a three-year cycle. Next year, we plan to have a conference in the U.S. but in a different state. The year after that, we plan to have an international conference, and then we’ll be back in D.C. again. It’s a purposeful rotation because we want to start meeting our Fulbrighters where they are. We have the Fulbright Prize which will always take place in D.C. For the Conference, we want to go to where our members are and also host an international experience, so we hope that future Conferences will reflect this idea. We don’t have the dates or locations nailed down yet, but the hope is that we’ll know where we are going by the time the 2022 Annual Conference begins, so folks will know we will be in 2023.

Thank you again for joining me today, Alicia! 

Of course. I hope to see you at the conference in October!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

– Stephen Gardner, Public Engagement Summer Intern