University of Portland is a national top producer of Fulbright students and faculty | University of Portland

University of Portland is a national top producer of Fulbright students and faculty

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February 23, 2016

University of Portland continues to be one of the top producers of Fulbright awards in the nation among master’s level institutions, according to a study released by the Chronicle of Higher Education. For 2015-16, the University ranked fourth in student Fulbright awards and tied for second in faculty Fulbright awards. The University of Portland is one of only fourteen institutions in the country to be a top producer of both student and faculty U.S. Fulbright grant recipients.

"This recognition by the Fulbright Program highlights the breadth and depth of both our outstanding faculty and students at the University of Portland,” said University President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C. “Since our founding more than a century ago, we have placed a distinct emphasis on the importance of superb teaching. It is most gratifying for this University that these individuals are able to bring their talents and commitment to teaching and learning to communities not only locally in Portland but across the globe through this distinguished and highly acclaimed program.”

Six students from the Class of 2015 were awarded Fulbright grants to work and study abroad: four of the Fulbrights were for English teaching positions in Germany, one was for an English teaching position in Turkey, and the sixth was for an English teaching position in Mexico. Recipients were Megan Lester, Erin Petersen, Mikayla Posey, Michelle Wilcox, Rebecca Parks, and Megan Fitzgerald.

Two University faculty members, English professor John Orr and sociology professor Nick McRee, were Fulbright Scholars in 2015 and taught in China and Japan respectively. Since 1996, fifteen UP faculty members have been Fulbright recipients.

The University has been a leader among its peer institutions in producing Fulbright student scholars for several years, ranking first nationally in 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, and 2007-08 and second nationally in 2009-10, 2008-09, and 2006-07. Since 2001, students from University of Portland have earned 54 Fulbright grants.

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange program, was designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries, and operates in over 155 countries worldwide. Since its establishment in 1946 by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given over 360,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, scientists and other professionals the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

For more information on the University’s ranking, please go to http://chronicle.com/article/Top-Producers-of-US/235384. For further information about the Fulbright Program, please visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.