Salem State Named Top Fulbright Scholar University For 4th Year

SALEM, MA — With three faculty members currently working abroad on Fulbright scholarships, and three student finalists for the next round of Fulbright awards, Salem State University was named a Top Producer of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the fourth time this week.

The Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognized Salem State for being one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of faculty and administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholars program for the second straight year and fourth year overall.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. In addition to the current and prior academic years, Salem State was named a top producer 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. "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 University is honored to receive this designation, as it's reflective of our unwavering values as both a community and a public university."

Faculty members who went on Fulbright scholarships this year include English professor Alexandria Peary, in Germany; Vanessa Ruget, a professor in Salem State's politics, policy, and international relations department, in Estonia; and Norbert Tschakert, a professor in the accounting and finance department, in the Dominican Republic.

"This honor speaks to the global engagement of our community, in particular our faculty who have tailored their scholarship and interests to share their work with people around the world," said Julie Whitlow, vice provost for faculty and global engagement at Salem State. "Three to four of our faculty have gotten Fulbright awards now for the past three years, a reflection of the quality of their proposals and the way they value global engagement."

Michele Louro, a history professor and Fulbright scholar liaison at Salem State said three student are currently competing for Fulbright scholarships in Bulgaria, Mexico, and Spain.

"This speaks to a really rich tradition of Fulbright engagement at Salem State," Louro said. "The classroom is at Salem State, but also, the classroom is out in the world. 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."

Ruget, currently in Estonia conducting Fulbright work, is also a Fulbright program advisor back on campus, where she helps students complete their applications for Fulbrights.

"Salem State's designation as a top producing institution for Fulbright is a testament to the excellence of our faculty, students, and staff, to my colleagues' innovative scholarship and pedagogy, and to our campus' enduring dedication to global engagement and understanding," Ruget said.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)