The Fulbright Peace Fountain – University of Arkansas Campus (Fayetteville)
The Fulbright Association is made up of alumni and supporters of the Fulbright Scholarship Program. We share the common experience of having developed friendships in nations around the world. The Fulbright Program is known as the flagship US government initiative to promote peace and understanding through international educational exchange. In Arkansas, we have many Fulbright alumni and Fulbright scholars from around the world at our universities and research centers.
One of the goals of the Arkansas Fulbright Association Chapter is to connect Fulbright alumni to share experiences with each other and to connect the alumni with current visiting Fulbrighters from other countries. We will be using the Arkansas Fulbright Association Chapter web site as our main means of communication for Chapter activities for Fulbright Association members and current Fulbrighters to meet and interact.
Fulbright Chronicles
Youth Summit: Pathways to Global Citizenship
The Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association, in partnership with the Clinton Presidential Center and other leading organizations, will host a comprehensive Youth Summit focused on international education opportunities. This event features two distinct programs: a half-day summit for invited high school students and an evening program open to the public.
Youth Summit (Invitation Only)
Date & Time: Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 9:30am – 1:30pm
Location: Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock
Participants: Approximately 100 invited high school students from four area Little Rock schools
This exclusive half-day event will provide students with valuable information about opportunities to study, teach, or work abroad, with particular emphasis on funding these experiences through public and private scholarship programs. The summit will feature comprehensive coverage of prestigious programs including the Fulbright Scholarship, Gilman Scholarship, Rotary International, Japanese English Teaching Program (JET), and various university-based private scholarships.
Program Components
Expert Panel Discussion
The summit will feature a distinguished panel of former international exchange alumni and award recipients from major scholarship programs including Fulbright, Gilman, Rotary International, JET, and private university scholarships. These speakers will share insights from their international experiences and provide guidance on application processes.
Interactive Roundtable Sessions
Students will participate in roundtable exchanges with current students from the Clinton School of Public Service, offering peer-to-peer learning opportunities and practical advice about preparing for international programs.
Resource Fair
A comprehensive resource fair will showcase nearby universities that actively promote international studies and study abroad programs, providing students with direct access to program representatives and informational materials.
From Global Village to America First: Student Voices (Open to the Public)
Date & Time: Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 6:00-7:00pm
Location: The Great Hall at the Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock
Audience: Open to the public
The day will conclude with a public forum examining the evolving landscape of international education over the past decade. This session will present key takeaways from the Youth Summit and feature reflections from international exchange alumni whose lives were significantly impacted by their global experiences.
The discussion will explore how various international experiences – from summer programs at British universities to faculty-led trips to Spain, or extended teaching positions in Japan – continue to influence participants’ life and career decisions.
Registration for the evening session will be available in September at clintonfoundation.org/events.
Partnership and Sponsorship
This initiative represents a collaborative effort between multiple organizations committed to expanding international education access:
- Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association
- Clinton Presidential Center
- Little Rock Public School District
- Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas
- Worldstrides
- Creative Planning Foundation
- Entergy Arkansas
Impact and Objectives
The Youth Summit aims to connect high school students with concrete pathways to international experience while addressing practical concerns about funding and preparation. By bringing together scholarship recipients, program administrators, and educational institutions, the event provides comprehensive support for students considering international education opportunities.
The program addresses the critical need for global competency development among Arkansas students while highlighting the various scholarship and funding mechanisms that make international experiences accessible regardless of economic background.
Womack Visits Fulbright Awardees on UofA Campus
Congressman Steve Womack accepted an invitation from the Chapter to meet with two recent University of Arkansas graduates who have been awarded Fulbright grants to spend the 2025-26 year in Italy and Spain. The meeting happened on June 18, 2025 at the UofA Kristen Collier Wright Office of Study Abroad & International Exchange.
Photo (back row) DeDe Long, Congressman Womack, Rob Leflar; front row: Isabella Sotlar (Fulbright grantee Italy 2025-26), Abigail Bordelon (Fulbright Grantee Spain 2025-26), Aley Bedair.
Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association Meets with Congressional and Senate staff
Each year, the Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association meets with Congressional and Senate staff to discuss the benefits of the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Program to improve international relations and to Arkansas. Arkansas scholars and students travel around the world on Fulbright Fellowships to teach and do research. Arkansas also attracts numerous foreign Fulbright Scholars to study and research at our universities. Funding for the Fulbright Scholar Exchange comes from the US government and foreign governments.
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- Rebekah Nelson (Hendrix, Director of International Programs), Leigh Lassiter-Counts (Hendrix, Director of Career Services) , and Glen Harrison (US Rowing Referee) met with Jeff Pitchford, District Director for Congressman French (Arkansas’s 2nd congressional district) on 21 May 2025 to advocate for the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Program.
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- Glen Harrison (US Rowing Referee) met with Michelle Crain, Staff Assistant to Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, on 2 June 2025 to advocate for the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Program.
Fulbright Advocacy Meetings for 2024
Focus on Advocacy in the Arkansas Offices of U.S. Congressmen
District 1, Rick Crawford’s Office (Jonesboro): (L-R) Jackie McBride, Professor of Education at Arkansas State University; Charles Landrum, Director of Grants and Community Management for Rep. Crawford; Glen Harrison, Arkansas Chapter FA President
District 2, French Hill’s Office (Little Rock): (L-R) Mariofanna Milanova, Department of Computer Science at University of Arkansas Little Rock; Raegan Sharp, District Representative for Rep. Hill; Veronika Brázdilová, Fulbright Scholar from the Czech Republic; Hunter Sadler, Director of Constituent Services for Rep. Hill; Glen Harrison, Arkansas Chapter FA President.
District 3, Steve Womack’s Office (Fayetteville): (L-R) DeDe Long; Veronika Brázdilová (Czech Republic); Maria Lopez Rojas (Costa Rica); Jordan Hale, Field Director for Rep. Womack. Meeting at the Office of Study Abroad and International Exchange on the University of Arkansas campus.
District 4, Bruce Westerman’s Office (Hot Springs): (L-R) Henry Sirgo, Department of Political Science at McNeese University, emeritus; Cody Burkham, District Director for Rep. Westerman; Pamela Moore, Associate Dean for Global Engagement, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff; Glen Harrison, Arkansas Chapter FA President.