U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated University of Hawaiʻi’s flagship campus on being one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright scholars in 2021–22. The Fulbright Program is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program.
Four UH Mānoa faculty members were granted and accepted Fulbright awards for 2021–22, while two additional UH Mānoa faculty members were selected but declined. The list of the top performing universities and colleges, which was released on February 27, is published annually by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
In the congratulatory letter, Blinken said, “This achievement is a testament to your institution’s deep commitment to international exchange and to building lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. I would like to thank your entire team for their hard work in promoting the Fulbright Program to your students and faculty, and in particular William Chapman and R. Anderson Sutton for their support of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program on your campus.”
The Fulbright U.S. Scholars from UH Mānoa in 2021–22:
- Ned Bertz, associate professor, history (Tanzania)
- Ajay Bhatt, assistant professor, medicine (Nepal)
- Hong Jiang, associate professor, geography (Taiwan)
- Donald Womack, professor, music (South Korea)
For more on the awardees and the Fulbright Program at UH Mānoa, see this UH News story.
This work is an example of UH Mānoa’s goal of Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise (PDF), one of four goals identified in the 2015–25 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.
Blinken’s congratulatory letter on April 4:
Dear President Lassner:
Congratulations on University of Hawaii at Manoa’s inclusion on the list of 2021–2022 Fulbright Program “Top Producing Institutions” of Fulbright U.S. Scholars, as announced in The Chronicle of Higher Education on February 27, 2022. This achievement is a testament to your institution’s deep commitment to international exchange and to building lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
I would like to thank your entire team for their hard work in promoting the Fulbright Program to your students and faculty, and in particular William Chapman and R. Anderson Sutton for their support of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program on your campus.
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. It is funded through an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
Since its inception in 1946, over 400,000 talented individuals from all backgrounds have participated in the Fulbright Program and returned home with an expanded worldview, a deeper appreciation for their host country and its people, and broader professional and personal networks. As a diplomat, I love the Fulbright Program because it supports changemakers and fosters global cooperation. Fulbrighters make the world a better place in classrooms and countries worldwide.
University of Hawaii at Manoa’s place among the Fulbright Program’s 2021-2022 Top Producing Institutions clearly demonstrates your dedication to preparing Americans to thrive in the global economy and serve as engaged citizens. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
