Alcorn named among Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) selected Alcorn State University for its prestigious HBCU honor.

ECA named Alcorn as one of its 2022 Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders. The honor recognizes HBCUs' engagement with the Fulbright Program, which has given more than 400,000 accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and other professionals opportunities to study, teach, and conduct research in the United States or one of over 160 partner countries worldwide.

ECA created the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders initiative to recognize the nation's 105 HBCUs' significant role in ensuring students, faculty, and administrators from all backgrounds can participate and benefit from the Fulbright Program.

Alcorn President Felecia M. Nave praised the Program for allowing the University an opportunity to use its resources to fuel innovation among students and faculty.

"Organizations like Fulbright enable our students and employees to advance their knowledge and foster their various talents so they can be stand-out students and professionals in today's competitive society," said Nave. "Alcorn's mission is to provide multiple learning platforms so that our fellow Alcornites can soar to unimaginable heights in their educational pursuits."

Alcorn and Fulbright's productive partnership has broadened many students' horizons as they participated in the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assisting (FLTA) Program.

Kevaughn Prout, a graduate student at Alcorn, appreciates the Program for expanding his knowledge of other cultures.

"I believe the FLTA Language Learning Program is stellar," said Prout. "Not only have I been able to learn about cultures and languages from native speakers, but I have been able to share my own. The Program has also allowed me to form lifelong friendships that will not only inspire travel but also inspire the possibilities of academic collaboration. The Fulbright Program cements the meaning of a globalized world; large on a geographical scale but all connected through cultures."

Torria Powell '18, a legal assistant for the Colorado Department of Corrections, talked about the life-changing experience that Alcorn and Fulbright provided for her.

"Taking the foreign language courses with the FLTAs was the best decision I could have made!" said Powell. "Speaking to one in their native tongue was an award-winning experience. It was the epitome of cultural inclusion that wasn't seen as often as it should. It wasn't just a learning experience. It was also a bonding experience. This Program gave the FLTAs and their students a lifetime bond that is greatly appreciated!"

Alicia Graves, a software developer at IBM, credits the Program for her current success in communicating with co-workers that speak other languages.

"I took Arabic and Russian classes as a graduate student at Alcorn State University," said Graves. "The language program helps me at my current job to better understand world events and how to interact with my co-workers from overseas. My current team is mainly based outside the United States. However, they are expanding into other areas worldwide, such as Mexico, Ireland, India, the U.K., etc. Taking foreign language courses has helped me better understand and work well with an international team."

Other Institutional Leaders include Bennett College, Bluefield State University, Central State University, Delaware State University, Fayetteville State University, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Howard University, Huston-Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Mississippi Valley State University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Spelman College, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University, and Virginia State University.

For more information on the Fulbright Program, visit eca.state.gov/fulbright or contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Press Office by e-mailing [email protected].