The U.S. Department of State recognized Texas A&M as one of 50 Fulbright HSI Leaders. The accolade honors Hispanic-serving institutions, or HSIs, that support Fulbright participants and promote the government program on campus.  

“The initiative encourages administrators, faculty and students at HSIs to engage with Fulbright and highlights the strength of HSIs as destinations for international students and scholars,” the Fulbright website reads. 

The U.S. Fulbright Program is a government-sponsored exchange program that funds students and researchers and their endeavors in over a hundred countries. Last year, A&M was named a top Fulbright Scholar-producing institution and the No. 1 in Texas. According to Texas A&M Today, the university has celebrated one or more faculty U.S. Fulbright Scholars every year since 1949. 

“We are incredibly proud that Texas A&M has been recognized as a 2024 Fulbright HSI Leader,” Executive Vice President and Provost Alan Sams said in a statement. “This distinction not only underscores our commitment and achievement within the Fulbright HSI Leaders Initiative but also highlights the global impact of the program at Texas A&M.”

The announcement is accompanied by comments from Eduardo Espina, a professor of Hispanic studies at A&M who taught in Paraguay in 2022 through the Fulbright program. There, he authored a book of essays and a book covering his research into the literature of the Americas through works in Spanish, Guaraní and Yopará.

“My time in Paraguay with a Fulbright grant is one of the most unforgettable experiences in my life as a college professor,” Espina said.

According to President Mark Welsh III at his Oct. 25 Presidential Investiture, more than 180 faculty members are Fulbright Scholars.