The Foreign Service Journal, November 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2016 23 a cohort of 17 scholars and researchers from all eight Arctic Council member nations to study the changing Arctic. The initiative will have its final plenary meeting in Washington this October, where scholars will present the outcomes of their col- laborative research and policy recommendations for building a resilient and sustainable future for the Arctic region. Fulbright also responds to the worldwide demand for Eng- lish language education. The popular Fulbright English Teach- ing Assistant Program for recent American college graduates has grown from about 100 participants annually 15 years ago, to more than 1,000 a year today. Once focused primarily on a handful of developed countries in Europe and Asia, the Ful- bright ETA Program now operates in 70 countries across the globe, with extensive funding from partner governments. Promoting and achieving diversity in all components of the Fulbright Program, for both American and international participants, are high priorities. Because it does not require a specific research proposal or in-country affiliation, the Fulbright ETA Program helps the State Department broaden and diversify the pool of applicants for Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards. Moreover, since the Fulbright Foreign Stu- dent Program continues to face challenges in some countries in recruiting participants beyond major cities and tradition- ally elite universities, it has responded by offering long-term English language training in the United States. This is designed for selected international participants who have the talent and motivation to succeed, but need to gain fluency in English before beginning their U.S. graduate studies. Over the past decade, the State Department has also pur- sued new, innovative partnerships with the private sector. The Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship sends five fellows abroad for an academic year to research and create stories on topics that are relevant to both the United States and the host countries. For example, Fulbright alumnus Ryan Bell recently returned from travels through Russia and Kazakhstan, where he documented how American cowboys are helping to rebuild the Russian and Kazakh cattle and beef industries. His stories and photographs are featured on a dedi- cated National Geographic blog for the program, as well as on the National Geographic food blog, The Plate. Continuing Relevance At various points in its 70-year history, the Fulbright Program has faced funding challenges, notably in the aftermath of the Cold War. In the early 1990s, policymakers hoped to take advan- tage of a “peace dividend,” leading to cuts in Fulbright and other programs supported by the former U.S. Information Agency. There was an initial assumption that the fall of the Soviet Union had lessened one of the most compelling needs to promote mutual understanding abroad. But the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as increasing global interdependence, have re- minded us that people-to-people exchanges remain essential to fostering peace, stability and shared prosperity. In recent years, despite tight budgets across the federal gov- ernment, the Fulbright Program’s funding has remained steady, with an annual congressional appropriation of more than $200 million—reflecting strong bipartisan support and acknowledg- ment of the continuing relevance of the Fulbright mission. The program also receives more than $130 million from other sources, making it one of the most highly leveraged programs in the U.S. government; for every two U.S. government dollars invested, Fulbright attracts more than a dollar in other resources. To plan the program’s future, the State Department is in the process of evaluating how different audiences and constituen- cies view it. State is also working to strengthen outreach to key stakeholders and potential applicants. Fulbright alumni almost invariably describe the program as “life-changing” and “transformative,” and many of them have gone on to distinguished careers in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy and education around the world. Generations of public diplomacy-coned U.S. Foreign Service officers have been instrumental in building, promoting and sustaining the program in the field. As the Fulbright Program marks 70 years of achievement, we present several personal reflections from alumni who became FSOs. Fulbright alumni invariably describe the program as “transformative,” and many have gone on to distinguished careers in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy and education around the world.