February 2013 Quarterly Meeting: Reaching Out to All People with Disabilities

The 258th meeting of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) took place in Washington, DC, February 11-12, 2013. Held on the historic campus of Gallaudet University, the meeting examined Fulbright Program policies and resources as they relate to disabilities, diversity, and nondiscrimination. This theme was underscored by a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing scholars with disabilities.

On February 11, the Board passed a number of policy changes, including the addition of a nondiscrimination statement in the Board Bylaws, clarifications for consistency of wording for several provisions across all policy chapters, and the deletion of provisions for the non-operational Fulbright American Studies Institutes program. The Board also received updates on Fulbright Programs in the Western Hemisphere, East Asia and the Pacific, and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program.

During the meeting, FFSB’s newest Member - Laura Skandera Trombley, President of Pitzer College - was sworn in by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs J. Adam Ereli. Ambassador Ereli noted the strengths that Dr. Trombley brings to the Board, including the fact that under her leadership, Pitzer College continues to be the national leader in the number of Fulbright Fellowships awarded per thousand students.

On February 12, the Board hosted a public panel discussion entitled The Fulbright Experience: Reaching Out to All People with Disabilities. The lively forum focused on international higher education opportunities and challenges for people with disabilities and in the deaf community. The event attracted students and faculty from Gallaudet University, as well as members of the international exchange community. Following a welcome by Gallaudet University President T. Alan Hurwitz and FFSB Chairman Tom Healy, U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) delivered an inspiring introduction and FFSB Member Dr. Christie Gilson moderated the panel. The featured panelists included Cerise Roth-Vinson, Chief Operating Officer of Mobility International USA; Marcelo de França Moreira, Humphrey Fellow from Brazil, currently at American University School of Law; and Dr. Steven D. Collins, Assistant Professor at Gallaudet University and Fulbright Alumnus. The moderator and panelists shared their unique experiences with the Fulbright Program and discussed the future of the Fulbright Program for persons with disabilities, emphasizing that “If you have a disability, Fulbright is for you. We want you; we want to learn from you. Go apply!”