To celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, Fulbright Scholars from around the world are learning about America’s history, natural beauty, and innovations. American colleges and universities, including community colleges, technical and vocational schools, and military academies, can invite Visiting Scholars to share their expertise through the Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF). Fulbright OLFs include special Freedom 250 activities that partner Fulbrighters with local museums, schools, businesses, and community organizations that showcase American heritage and excellence.
American Revolutionary and Civil War History
Miriam Goldby visited Valley Forge National Park and Gettysburg National Park while on her OLF program at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, and learned about the decisive Revolutionary and Civil War events that took place at these locations. She reflected, “Visiting these two sites showcasing key moments in United States military and national history was very moving and left a lasting impression. I was struck by the perseverance and the hardship that they were prepared to endure.”
Statue of Liberty
During his OLF academic engagement at Brooklyn College, Vietnamese scholar Bao-Son Trinh visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. “Learning about the international collaboration, engineering complexities, and symbolic intentions behind the Statue of Liberty was both inspiring and informative. The monument stands as an extraordinary work that embodies the ideals of freedom, democracy, and international cooperation.”
American Artistic Innovation
Visiting Australian Scholar Jason Goopy experienced American artistic excellence during his OLF at the University of Rochester. He attended the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s “American Masters” performance at the Eastman School of Music. At the George Eastman Museum photographs documenting pivotal moments in U.S. history deepened his appreciation of America’s “leading role in worldwide cultural and artistic innovation.”
History and Liberty in Texas
Visiting Scholar from India Pranjit Hazarika explored San Antonio Missions National Historical Park during his OLF at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Learning about the Missions and the Texas Revolution, he reflected on the “profound courage and sacrifice” of Texans in their pursuit of liberty and the founding of the Republic of Texas.
Reflecting on America’s Founding
Pablo Biderbost, from Argentina, visited Historic New Bridge Landing in New Jersey during his OLF at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where George Washington crossed with his troops during the American Revolutionary War. The experience gave him “a singular intellectual and emotional” opportunity to imagine the experiences of the Founding Fathers and appreciate “the greatness of this society and its culture.”
Center for Western Studies
While in South Dakota at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, Beate Steinveg from Norway visited the Center for Western Studies. She reflected on “how vast the U.S. is in terms of geography but also culture and opportunities.” She also visited the USS South Dakota Memorial and learned about the ship’s World War II history.
Grand Canyon National Park
Kausik Ghosh, from India, visited the Grand Canyon National Park while lecturing at University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. He said, “The vast canyon, layered rock formations, and immense scale reflected the beauty and geological richness of the American landscape.” He found it particularly meaningful that several rock formations have names drawn from Hindu deities, as it reflects the openness of Americans to explore other cultures.
Major League Baseball
Aya Okada, from Japan, visited the Milwaukee Art Museum, the historic Milton House Museum, and a Major League Baseball game during a visit to the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater to speak at the College of Business and Economics. Okada said the Milwaukee Brewers and the Washington Nationals game “felt like a ‘festival’ that began with the American anthem.” The baseball game helped her understand “the power of sports in bringing the community together.”
U.S.S. Lexington Museum
During her OLF academic engagement at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, Egyptian scholar Dr. Noha ElBana visited the U.S.S. Lexington, a World War II aircraft carrier that now serves as a naval aviation museum. The experience provided her with new insight into U.S. history and maritime leadership and a broader understanding of American heritage.
America’s National Bird
Salvador Lyngdoh, an expert from the Wildlife Institute of India, gave a guest lecture on Himalayan species at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska, during his visit to the University of Alaska. He also visited the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and Visitor Center to learn about the bald eagle, which the Founding Fathers selected for the Great Seal of the United States in 1782.
Long Island Museum
Miroslaw Przylipiak, from Poland, visited the Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages between guest lectures at Stony Brook University. The Museum’s exhibits featured 19th century transportation innovations, as well as modern Apple computers exemplifying what Przylipiak considers one of “the flagship achievements of American technological innovation.”
9/11 Memorial
Between his OLF lectures at New York University and Guttman Community College, Zambian scholar Dr. Thomas Mtonga took part in an “emotional and educational” visit to the 9/11 Memorial, where he “gained a deeper understanding of the resilience demonstrated by the American people following the September 11 attacks. The experience reflected the spirit of unity, determination and national recovery that continues to shape the identity of New York City.”
Yellowstone and American Ingenuity
Haritha Bollinedi explored the American West during her OLF at Montana State University, visiting the Museum of the Rockies and Yellowstone National Park. As a visiting molecular biologist from India, she was inspired to visit the hot springs where a bacterium and enzyme that led to the PCR lab technique used to make copies of a DNA segment were discovered.
Historic Philadelphia
Drexel University arranged a history tour of Philadelphia for Dr. Neha Sardana, a scholar from India. Visiting iconic landmarks, the National Constitution Center, and museums focused on science and the American Revolution. She reflected that the value of freedom was clearly on display, as well as the “role of scientific progress, innovation, and public education in the nation’s development.”
American Chemical Manufacturing
As part of her OLF Freedom 250 activity at Lyon College in Arkansas, Sri Lankan Fulbrighter Lokuketagodage Hasini Rangika Perera visited FutureFuel Chemical Company to gain firsthand insight into U.S. leadership in chemical manufacturing and workforce upskilling. She observed, “Visiting the FutureFuel facilities gave me a clear view of how research, manufacturing, and quality control are closely integrated in U.S. industry.”
American Military History
Malwina Marciniak, a visiting scholar from Poland, visited the Westerly Armory and the World War II Museum during an OLF academic engagement at the University of Rhode Island. A guide from the local community provided insight on America’s decisive role in World War II and its local and national impact, while an extensive collection of artifacts helped bring the historical stories to life.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park
Revathi Ponnuswamy visited the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon, Georgia during her OLF lecturing visit to Fort Valley State University. She reflected that the park “bridges pre-colonial, colonial, and modern America,” and that her visit “revealed that the nation’s strength lies not only in its independence, but in its deep-rooted history, natural beauty, and commitment to innovation and preservation.”
National World War I Museum and Memorial
Dr. Muhammad Shan, a geneticist from Pakistan, lectured on the role of forensic DNA Analysis in criminal investigations at Avila University in Kansas City. He visited the National World War I Museum and Memorial which “provided a historical perspective on global conflict, sacrifice, and the importance of preserving historical memory.” He said America’s 250th anniversary is “a remarkable milestone honoring freedom, democracy, resilience, and opportunity.”
San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts
While in San Francisco to lecture on Nuclear Security at California State University East Bay, Jovana Nikolov, from Serbia, visited Golden Gate Park. At the park, she visited The Palace of Fine Arts, built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, a world’s fair celebrating America’s completion of the Panama Canal. She also attended a baseball game, where she observed “the American spirit of community, openness, and shared enjoyment” as fans came “together to support their team and celebrate shared traditions.”
Tuskegee Airmen
During his visit to Auburn University, Stephen Sangster, a Visiting Scholar from Belize, learned about the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, whose courage helped reshape America’s military aviation history. He reflected that reading the “stories of incredible success inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen… was an overall inspiring experience that left me more appreciative of American history.”
Culture and Energy Innovation
Suddhasatwa Basu immersed himself in Rochester’s annual Lilac Festival, experiencing American art, music, and food. During his OLF at Rochester Institute of Technology, he lectured on electrical engineering and energy resources. He also visited Niagara Falls, where museum tours introduced him to the pioneering 1895 hydroelectric power project of Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, giving him new perspectives on American engineering history as an engineer from India.
Taughannock Falls State Park
Januario Rangel-Soares, from Timor-Leste, explored the natural beauty of upstate New York during his OLF at Ithaca College, viewing the gorges and dramatic waterfalls. As part of his Freedom 250 activities, he visited Taughannock Falls State Park as well as Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, gaining an appreciation for the region’s spirit of freedom and its natural beauty.
American History and Freedom
Greek Fulbright Scholar Panagiotis Iliopoulos explored American history during his OLF at The Catholic University of America, touring the National Mall, U.S. Capitol, and National Gallery of Art. At the Capitol Visitor Center, he viewed the “Spirit of ’76” exhibit and reflected on George Washington’s vision for the Capitol.
American History at Fort Hill
Sitikantha Roy, from India, visited Fort Hill National Historic Landmark during his OLF at Clemson University, learning about the history of Clemson as a land-grant university dedicated to scientific education, agriculture, and public service. The visit, he said, “deepened my appreciation” of how American universities preserve history while advancing education, research, and opportunity.