Riley Davis, The Daily Iowan
This academic year the UI saw 47 applicants for the Fulbright; 19 award offers; and 18 accepted grantees — making the UI the institution with the sixth-highest percentage ratio of applicants to awards.
Russell Ganim, associate provost and International Programs dean, said the UI will be recognized at an event hosted by the Association of International Education Administrators in Washington on Feb. 18.
Ganim said that, while the Fulbright Program’s recognition is important, the university is incredibly proud of the opportunities created for its students, which enable them to pursue research projects and conduct research on a global scale.
“It shows that we value global education [and] international experiences, and other institutions see the productivity and see the achievement that we’ve accomplished in the realm of international education,” Ganim said. “Other institutions recognize the contributions that we’re making to international education and as a result it works in the other way too, and that institutions of higher learning from across the globe want to send their scholars to Iowa as well. So, I think it underscores our success and Fulbright underscores the level of reciprocity on a global scale that few institutions can match.”
In an email to The Daily Iowan, UI Provost Montserrat Fuentes said the Fulbright program’s global reach requires a UI commitment to preparing students to become responsible world citizens and ensure that they develop global competencies. This will bring students opportunities for the future and lead them to richer and more fulfilling lives, Fuentes said.