Penn State ranked first for faculty Fulbright Scholars for second straight year

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has been ranked first in the nation in faculty Fulbright Scholar awards by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with 12 faculty members offered Fulbright awards for academic year 2023-24. Penn State also is listed among the top-producing institutions for Fulbrights in STEM fields.

This is the second year in a row and the third time in the last five years that Penn State has been the No. 1 producer of Fulbright Scholars, with the University also achieving this status in 2019 and 2022.

“The Faculty Fulbright program is a vital and vibrant part of Penn State’s global engagement,” said Justin Schwartz, executive vice president and provost. “Being the No. 1 producer of Fulbright scholars two years in a row is a tremendous reflection of the excellence of our faculty and the dedication of those who support them. We’re grateful for the impact they make on their destination countries and for the wisdom and knowledge they bring on their return.”

Fulbright is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. It also is among the largest and most diverse exchange programs in the world. Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 participants from all backgrounds and fields — including recent university graduates, teachers, scientists, researchers, artists and others, from the U.S. and more than 160 other countries — have participated in the Fulbright Program. Fulbright alumni have returned to their home countries to make an impact on their communities thanks to their expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a larger network of colleagues and friends. 

The Fulbright competition is administered at Penn State through the Faculty Fulbright office, led by Faculty Fulbright Adviser Sylvester Osagie. The University sponsors discipline-based panels, which help to support faculty applications for Fulbright awards and have played a significant role in Penn State’s status as a Fulbright top producer for over a decade running.

“This recognition highlights the exceptional caliber of our faculty and their significant global engagement,” said Sabine Klahr, associate vice provost for Penn State Global. “We would especially like to thank the efforts of the members of the discipline-based panels, who stay on after their own Fulbright experience to help others have effective applications, as well as the effort of our team in Global to promote this opportunity to faculty and assist them with the application process.”

The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and other countries. While the primary source of funding for the program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, it also benefits from additional support from foreign partner governments, nongovernmental organizations, private organizations, corporate partnerships and individual donors. United States and foreign host institutions provide support as well. 

“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them, and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over,” said Lee Satterfield, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs.

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, 80 MacArthur Fellows, and many leaders and changemakers who work to build mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit fulbrightprogram.org.

For more information about how to apply for a Fulbright experience, visit Penn State’s Faculty Fulbright webpage or contact Sylvester Osagie at fulbright@psu.edu.