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“UMGC’s innovative leadership in digital and adult education, its extensive global student base and its alignment with Fulbright’s mission to increase access to international exchange opportunities make it an ideal strategic partner,” said Fulbright Board Chair William McCollum.

McCollum said he was “especially proud” to honor an institution led by Gregory Fowler, a two-time Fulbright awardee. “I recognize your strong commitment to international education,” he told the UMGC president.

Fowler received two Fulbright awards to Germany and Belgium where he collaborated with students, faculty and lawmakers on the future of the European Union and the impact of the Bologna Accords, which harmonized the education systems in the EU. He also taught at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies at Frei Universität-Berlin. 

“This award means a great deal to the university and to me personally,” Fowler said. “It recognizes that the university’s mission is global and that it strives to have an impact on cultural understanding among populations often in political hot spots and sometimes in war zones. For me, I benefitted greatly—and enjoyed—my Fulbright scholarships by extending my own education internationally and expanding my global perspective.” 

UMGC offers classes and support services at more than 175 sites in more than 20 countries around the globe. More than half of the university’s 98,000 enrollment are military-affiliated students.

The university’s faculty and staff promote interaction between students and local populations to extend cultural and academic exchanges. The Bridge Program, now in its fourth decade, is one example. The unusual immersion program exposes Japanese students to U.S. culture and the English language proficiency they need to pursue degrees at U.S. universities or to embark on international careers. Field-study courses offered by UMGC in and are experiential learning opportunities, where students visit historical sites and museums and participate in lectures outside the classroom.��

In addition to recognizing UMGC, the Fulbright organization recently named two UMGC professors as Fulbright scholars. Jason Pittman, a collegiate associate professor in the School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology, is currently serving as a Fulbright scholar at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning at the 91ֱ�� of Adelaide. He is researching the potential use of open-source large language models in the unwitting generation of disinformation. 

Brandon Schweitzer, a collegiate associate professor of accounting, spent most of November 2024 in Colombia focused on socially responsible investing. He examined the link between corporate profitability and environmental, social and governmental business practices in Latin America. 

The Washington-based Fulbright Association is the U.S. alumni organization of the Fulbright Program. Since its inception in 1946, Fulbright scholarships have facilitated more than 400,000 academic and professional exchanges across 165 countries, promoting cultural understanding and reducing conflict. The association furthers the Fulbright mission by connecting global Fulbrighters and their ideas, supporting career development and mentorship, and advocating for the future of the Fulbright Program. 

Among notable Fulbrighters are 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state and thousands of leaders across the private, public and nonprofit sectors. 

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