“Looking back, I now understand that the political and social turmoil I witnessed during my Fulbright year laid the foundation for the career I would ultimately follow–journalism: first, working at the English-language news service at Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA), the major italian news agency, and later as a foreign correspondent for National Public Radio. I’m still not sure I completely understand every aspect and complexity of this society and exactly how it has evolved and radically changed in the last 50 years, but certainly without my Fulbright year and the opportunity it gave me to absorb and interact with Italians in such a turbulent time, I am sure I would not have had developed the skills needed to competently observe and analyze Italian society.”

“The Fulbright Program was instrumental in kickstarting my career as a public servant. Living and working in the Netherlands on Fulbright inspired me to pursue a career as a Foreign Service Officer. As a gay Arab-American diplomat representing the United States abroad, l have been able to connect with a wide range of audiences and I have tried to use my position to shape U.S. government policies that take into account the most vulnerable — whether migrants or LGBT youth in Mexico or political prisoners in Venezuela — to ensure our policy formation does not occur in a vacuum.”

Dr. Victor D. Cha is an academic, author, and former national foreign policy advisor for the White House, focused on the Asia-Pacific region. In his distinguished career, he has worked on the National Security Council, testified before Congress on Asian security issues, and served as a Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Dr. Cha was a John M. Olin National Security Fellow at Harvard University and is a current Fellow in Human Freedom at the George W. Bush Institute. He is also a Contributor for NBC News and MSNBC and has been a guest analyst for various national and international media including PBS, NPR, Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. Dr. Cha has written numerous articles, six books, and other works on Asian security, including North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

“Fulbright was absolutely my gateway to diplomacy, and not simply because U.S. Embassy staff in Madrid encouraged me to pursue the Foreign Service as a career. My time as a Fulbright grantee gave me my first experience learning a culture other than my own, listening to points of view often vastly different from my own, and finding common ground on points of disagreement.”   

Chan Heng Chee is a Singaporean academic and diplomat who served as Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States from 1996 to 2012. Prior to this, she served as Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1989 to 1991. Outside of government, Ambassador Chee has served in various capacities in the Singapore International Foundation, the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, the Institute of Policy Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. She also served as Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

“I know that the academic/professional component of Fulbright is highly emphasized, but for me, the cultural exchange proved to be just as consequential —the personal friendships and professional connections have endured time and distance and I’m forever grateful for my time there and especially for the chance to learn about and from not only Argentines, but others I got to know. While I was able to narrow down my research interests, I also made incredible lifelong friends.”

Photo caption: Cydni Gordon in Reñaca, Chile during a Fulbright Western Hemisphere Enrichment Seminar, 2018.

“At Université de Genève, I had the opportunity to research a small program in the United Nations’ International Labor Organization called ‘Participatory Organizations of the Rural Poor.’ The work focused on programs to advance the power people must have over their own lives, no matter how marginalized their circumstances. My insights learned as a Fulbrighter continue to influence how I see international development and the role of external groups, including the international NGOs that make up InterAction’s membership. Today, decades later, I find myself back in Geneva at the United Nations meeting with leaders in more formal and high-level events, yet the lessons remain the same: our work must be rooted in local voices and the ability of a people to shape their lives and future.”