In a recent congratulatory letter to Claremont McKenna College President Hiram Chodosh, U.S. Secretary of State, the Honorable Anthony J. Blinken, designated Claremont McKenna College a “Top Producing Institution” of Fulbright U.S. Students for 2023-2024. Fulbright seeks students of the world who have a strong interest in cross-cultural exchange, research, or teaching opportunities overseas. The distinction is a testament to the College’s deep commitment to international affairs, and to building lasting connections between the people of the United States and people from nations around the world.
“Fulbrighters strive to make the world a better place in classrooms and countries worldwide,” said Blinken. “Claremont McKenna College’s designation as a Fulbright Top Producing Institution clearly demonstrates your dedication to promoting global engagement and mutual understanding among the peoples and nations of the world.”
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. Host institutions, as well as participating governments, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide. Beginning in 1946, over 400,000 students from all backgrounds have participated in the Fulbright Program overseas, returning home with an expanded worldview, a deeper appreciation for their host country and its people, and broader professional and personal networks.
Claremont McKenna ranked as a top-tier institution among colleges and universities nationwide, with 106 of the College’s students achieving the distinction as Fulbright Students throughout the school’s history. 2023 CMC Fulbright Students included CMC alumni: Eva Augst ’23 (Austria), Thomas Falci ’23 (Taiwan), Sarai Ortega ’23 (Guatemala), and Renee Perper ’21 (Oman).
“I’m delighted by the fact that Claremont McKenna has once again been recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright recipients,” said Brian Davidson ’08, Director of Fellowship Advising at Claremont McKenna. “Between groundbreaking research on green energy in the Persian Gulf in Oman, research and teaching focused on ethics and climate change in Graz, Austria, teaching English and studying traditional medicine in Guatemala, and teaching English to children in indigenous communities in southern Taiwan, last year’s Fulbright recipients are making their mark on the world.”