Texas State recognized among top Fulbright producers
Posted by University News Service
Oct. 21, 2009
Texas State University-San Marcos has been recognized as one of the top producers of Fulbright Fellows among American colleges and universities.
The Fulbright Program recently announced the complete list of colleges that produced the most 2009-2010 U.S. Fulbright Fellows. The success of the top producing institutions was highlighted in the October 19 print edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Two students from Texas State won Fulbright awards for 2009-2010. Texas State was one of only four universities in its category to have all of its applicants selected for fellowships. Texas State grantees are Jessica Spangler, who received a teaching assistantship grant to Germany, and Michael Trice, who received a full research grant to the United Kingdom.
"We are very proud to have been recognized by the Fulbright Program,” said Texas State Provost Perry Moore. “Texas State has an outstanding track record of recruiting and helping students compete for these awards.”
The Fulbright competition is administered at Texas State by Fulbright Program Adviser Valentina Glajar, associate professor of German.
Under the Fulbright program, 1,559American students in more than 100different fields of study have been offered grants to study, teach English, and conduct research in over 125 countries throughout the world beginning this fall.
Of the 1,557 Fulbrighters, 19 percent are at the Ph.D. degree level, 17 percent are at the Master’s level, and 65 percent are at the Bachelor’s degree level. Students receiving awards for this academic year applied through 570 colleges or universities. Lists of Fulbright recipients are available at: www.fulbrightonline.org/us.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program equips future American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly global environment by providing funding for one academic year of study, research or assistant teaching abroad.
Fellows undertake self-designed programs in disciplines ranging from the social sciences, business, communication and performing arts to physical sciences, engineering and education.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided approximately 294,000 participants worldwide with the opportunity to observe each others’ political, economic and cultural institutions, exchange ideas and embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world’s inhabitants. In the past 63 years, more than 42,000 students from the United States have benefited from the Fulbright experience.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Financial support is provided by an annual appropriation from Congress to the Department of State, with significant contributions from participating governments and host institutions in the United States and abroad. The Presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board formulates policy guidelines and makes the final selection of all grantees.
In the United States, the Institute of International Education administers and coordinates the activities relevant to the U.S. Student Program, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships.
The Fulbright Program also awards grants to American teachers and faculty to do research, lecture and teach overseas. In addition, some 3,850 new foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study, carry out research and lecture at U.S. universities, colleges and secondary schools.