Salem State Named ‘Top Producer of Fulbright Scholars’ for Second Consecutive Year

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has honored Salem State University as a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars. This year is the second straight year and the fourth overall in which Salem State has achieved this distinction. Salem State has three faculty members working abroad on Fulbright scholarships and three student finalists in consideration for the next round of Fulbright scholarship awards.

The Fulbright Program is a legacy international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It aims to create lasting connections between individuals from the United States and other countries. In addition to the 2024 and 2025 academic years, Salem State achieved this recognition in 2011 and 2017.

"Salem State University and the city of Salem have always played pivotal roles in fostering global connections by welcoming and sending people to and from all corners of the world," Salem State University President John Keenan said in a news release shared with the Patch Salem. "Being recognized once again as a top sender of Fulbright scholars is reflective of our deep-rooted history and enduring commitment to international learning and exchange."

Salem State faculty members currently serving abroad on Fulbright scholarships include English professor Alexandria Peary, who is in Germany; Vanessa Ruget, a professor in the politics, policy, and international relations department, who is in Estonia; and Norbert Tschakert, a professor in the accounting and finance department, who is in the Dominican Republic.

According to Michele Louro, a history professor and Fulbright scholar liaison at Salem State, three students are competing for Fulbright scholarships in Bulgaria, Mexico, and Spain.

"The classroom is at Salem State, but also, the classroom is out in the world," Louro stated in the media release. "I always tell my students that to go out into the world, to learn about it, and to engage with it enriches our local lives as well as the global system we participate in."