SJSU Selected As Fulbright HSI Leader for Second Year

A glimpse of the bustle of San José State’s campus is seen here through the middle of the César E. Chávez Monument, which was created by renowned Chicana artist, activist and scholar Judy Baca to commemorate the Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist’s work.

San José State University was named a Fulbright HSI Leader for the second year in a row by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), in recognition of the noteworthy engagement that selected Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) achieved with the Fulbright Program — the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. This year, SJSU is among 43 HSIs to receive the distinction. 

SJSU was chosen for our success in helping students and faculty benefit from a variety of Fulbright opportunities, demonstrating significant engagement with Fulbright exchange participants during the 2021–22 academic year, and promoting Fulbright Program opportunities on campus. Fulbright HSI Leaders were announced today during an international plenary session at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities annual conference.

“San José State is proud to be among the 43 incredible academic institutions named Fullbright HSI leaders this year,” said Interim President Steve Perez. “To be recognized for the second year in a row is both an honor and a testament to SJSU’s commitment to creating global opportunities for our students and faculty to enhance their education, research and careers through the Fulbright program — and in turn, support the scholarship, research and personal and professional growth of our Fulbright international students and Fulbright foreign language teaching assistants. 

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Fulbright Program and supporting the life-changing experiences it provides.”

SJSU has a strong relationship and extensive history with the Fulbright Program. From the 1960-1961 through the 2019-2020 academic years, SJSU hosted 152 Fulbright Scholars, was named a Fulbright Top-Producing institution in 2019 by the Chronicle of Higher Education and was a part of last year’s inaugural class of Fulbright HSI Leaders.

Anita Kéri is a Fullbright Visiting Research Scholar at San José State currently researching international students who chose to study at SJSU and what they perceive in terms of service quality they receive from the university. Of her personal experience at SJSU, Kéri says, “I love the fact that everyone is open-minded and happy to help you out, both at the university and also in the Bay Area in general. I cannot be happier to be here and learn that such a community exists.” 

View the list of SJSU’s Fulbright Scholars.

This initiative is part of the U.S. State Department’s longstanding commitment to build diversity and inclusion within the Fulbright Program and within all the Bureau’s international exchange programs. 

Since its inception over 75 years ago, the Fulbright Program has given over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad, exchanging ideas and contributing to finding solutions to complex international challenges.

On behalf of the ECA, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs Ethan Rosenzweig thanked HSI leaders for their collaboration and for recognizing the value of the Fulbright Program. He also commended current Fulbright participants and alumni for sharing “their expertise, experience, perspective, and enthusiasm with their institutions, their communities, and their societies.” 

“The Fulbright Program’s success with HSIs is built on real collaboration with your institutions,” added Rosenzweig.

Learn more about the Fulbright Program.