UCI named Fulbright HSI Leader by State Department for second consecutive year

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 11, 2022 — The University of California, Irvine has been named a 2022 Fulbright HSI Leader by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Last year, UCI was an inaugural recipient of the newly created designation, which recognizes the noteworthy engagement that selected Hispanic-Serving Institutions have achieved with the Fulbright Program, the federal government’s flagship international educational exchange program.

UCI is one of 43 HSIs to receive the 2022 distinction, announced Monday during an international plenary session at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities annual conference in San Diego.

“UCI is proud to be honored once again for our commitment to fostering and supporting international collaboration,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “This recognition is especially meaningful in that it also honors our intentional agenda to be the nation’s leading Hispanic-thriving university.”

HSIs are federally designated colleges or universities at which Hispanic students make up at least 25 percent of the full-time-equivalent student body and at which at least half of all students receive financial aid. UCI is celebrating five years of HSI status, having first secured it in 2017, and is one of only four member campuses in the Association of American Universities – which includes the country’s leading research institutions – to be named an HSI. The classification means that UCI faculty, staff and students are eligible to apply for minority-serving-institution grants, internships and partnerships. 

In addition to being a Hispanic-Serving Institution, UCI is a Hispanic-serving research university that aspires to double the number of Latino doctoral students and increase Latino faculty by 20 percent by 2030. Gillman is a founding member of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and the first UC chancellor elected to the governing board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. UCI recently announced the formation of the UCI-OC Alliance to engage and support Latino students, staff and faculty through a university-driven strategy to advance UCI as a Latino-thriving institution.

On Nov. 7, a Fulbright HSI Virtual Workshop will feature representatives of Fulbright HSI Leaders sharing best practices for leveraging Fulbright Program engagement to support students and faculty, increase campus internationalization, and build global networks. The event is open to the public, and while all are welcome, the session is specifically designed for HSI faculty, staff and stakeholders. Institutions can sign up at https://apply.iie.org/register/HSIWorkshop2022.

Since its inception over 75 years ago, the Fulbright Program has given more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad, exchanging ideas and contributing to finding solutions for complex international challenges.

Over many years, the Fulbright Program has designed and implemented a wide range of initiatives to increase participant diversity and inclusion. Fulbright scholars are selected through an open, merit-based competition, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

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