The Fulbright Program

Origins of the Fulbright Program

Named for former Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright, the Fulbright Program was created by the U.S. Congress in 1946 and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.  The program's aim has been and remains "to enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries."  Further, the program is designed to "assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations between the United States and other countries of the world."  That's a humbling charge for someone launched from modest means!  Even as a professor with a major research university now, I'm taken aback at both the honor and the responsibility that accompanies this appointment.  Even so, my field of public relations encompasses the increasingly important arena of public diplomacy, an arena well suited to Fulbright program goals.  PR scholars should, therefore, serve the program well.  The 2007 Private Sector Summit on Public Diplomacy, sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the PR Coalition, in fact identified three areas of activity that circumscribe public diplomacy:

• Develop business practices that make public diplomacy a core element of international corporate public action.
• Promote understanding of U.S. American society, culture and values in other countries.
• Build relationships of trust and respect across cultures.

You can review a summary of that important summit here: http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-content/uploads/PrivSectorSummitPaper.pdf.  To be fair and balanced, the concept put forward by the Summit has its detractors; here's an example: http://www.prwatch.org/node/5967.  Nevertheless, the point is that a Fulbright Fellowship embodies a role beyond the teaching and/or research purposes for which it was awarded.

Fulbrighters have been participating in exchanges between the U.S. and Poland since 1959.  In 1990, a permanent Office of Polish-U.S. Educational Exchanges was established by the two governments, with the Fulbright Accord signed in 1995 changing the office's name to the Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission.  In 2008, Poland committed to significantly increasing its level of contribution to the exchange program.  In 2009, with the marking of the 50th anniversary of the Fulbright program in Poland, a ceremony was held and a permanent plaque commemorating Sen. Fulbright installed in the Warsaw University Library.

Scope of the Fulbright Program

About 800 U.S. scholars and professionals are selected each year to serve in more than 150 countries through the core Fulbright program.  An equal number of scholars from other countries are brought to the U.S., and another 400 U.S. scholars and professionals participate in short-term, sponsored programs.  Grants range in length from a few weeks to a full year.  In its 60+ years, more than 50,000 U.S. scholars and 45,000 scholars from other countries have benefited from the Fulbright experience; it truly represents a massive global exchange of scholars.  Add teachers and students who have participated in Fulbright exchanges, and more than 300,000 people can be listed as part of the program's ongoing legacy. Fulbrighters come from all academic and professional disciplines.  They engage in teaching, research, project work and knowledge exchange.  To date, more than 1,800 Poles have enjoyed Fulbright appointments to the U.S.  This year alone, about 40 U.S. scholars will benefit from Fulbright appointments in Poland.

Administration of the Fulbright Program

The highest oversight body is the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, which establishes polices and procedures and supervises the worldwide program.  Twelve educational and public leaders, appointed by the U.S. President, comprise the board.  The Council for International Exchange of Scholars administers the Fulbright program on a day-to-day, operational basis on behalf of the U.S. State Department.  I had the pleasure of visiting the CIES offices on K Street in Washington, D.C., last November, and I can tell you it is a beehive of activity!  In most countries, the Fulbright program is administered locally through the U.S. Embassy, but 50 countries have established dedicated Fulbright Commissions; Poland is one such country.

Another useful website: The State Department's Official Fulbright Site

Next time, I'll talk about the process of applying for a Fulbright appointment -- a process that requires patience and persistence, but which potentially provides a life-changing opportunity.