February 23, 2021—Marist College was included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities with the most Fulbright U.S. Students in the 2020-2021 cycle.

Each year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces the top-producing institutions for the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international educational exchange program. The Chronicle of Higher Education publishes the list each year.

The Fulbright Program offered three Marist students, Alyssa Nichols and Louis Higuera—both members of the class of 2020—and Lenni Joya, class of 2019*, Fulbright awards for academic year 2020-2021. Overall, 29 Marist students and alumni have been named Fulbright Students.

“This distinction from the ECA is very meaningful as it gets to the core of what we aim to do at Marist: educate students to be citizens of the world and to embrace a global viewpoint,” said Thom Wermuth, Vice President for Academic Affairs.

“The Fulbright Program provides an exceptional opportunity for students to explore the cultures of other countries while studying, pursuing research projects, or teaching,” said Pat Taylor, Marist’s Graduate School and Fellowship Advisor. “The College recognizes the importance of supporting students through this rigorous application process, and we are proud to be named a Top Producing Fulbright Institution this year, the fourth time we have enjoyed this distinction over the past seven years.”

Created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, the Fulbright Program is primarily funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Over 2,200 U.S. students and over 900 U.S. college and university faculty and administrators are awarded Fulbright grants annually. In addition, some 4,000 Fulbright Foreign Students and Visiting Scholars come to the United States annually to study, lecture, conduct research, or teach their native language.

Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 people from all backgrounds—recent university graduates, teachers, scientists and researchers, artists, and more—have participated in the Fulbright Program and returned with an expanded worldview, a deep appreciation for their host country and its people, and a new network of colleagues and friends. Fulbright alumni have become heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, and university presidents, as well as leading journalists, artists, scientists, and teachers. They include 60 Nobel Laureates, 88 Pulitzer Prize winners, 75 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders across the private, public and non-profit sectors.

For more information about fellowship opportunities at Marist, visit marist.edu/academic-resources/scholarships-fellowships.

*Joya declined the Fulbright once awarded the USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship.