There are seven Fulbright scholars among the current Utah State University faculty, more than most research institutions in the country and the second most in the western states.
One of them, Dr. Alan Blackstock, is a USU Professor of English, who spent the Fall Semester working in the Institute of Languages at the University of Cuenca in Ecuador.
He said Fulbright grants foster an international educational exchange.
“Thirty-seven current heads of state and foreign countries are former Fulbrighters,” says Blackstock. “Fulbright also welcomes visiting scholars to come to the U.S., so it is very important in establishing and maintaining relationships between the U.S. and other countries.
“Many business leaders and government officials have studied here and have returned to their countries. So it is a wealth of opportunity for strategic and economic partnerships with the US and other countries.”
Dr. Blackstock said the current Trump administration budget calls for a 70 percent cut in funding to the Fulbright Program.
Other USU Fulbright scholars for 2017-18 are Daniel Holland, Nancy Hyde, Randal Martin, Michael McFarland, Ann Roemer and Gilberto Urroz.