Virginia State University Named Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader For Fourth Consecutive Year

VSU celebrated for global education leadership and international engagement.

Virginia State University is proud to announce that it has been named a Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leader for 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year VSU has been recognized for its leadership in global education and commitment to international engagement.

Each year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) recognizes HBCUs that demonstrate exceptional support for Fulbright participants and actively promote Fulbright programs on campus.

"Four consecutive years as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader is a remarkable accomplishment for Virginia State University,” said Dr. Tia Minnis, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “VSU is already home to a diverse population of faculty and students, but Fulbright has brought new perspectives and opportunities to our community through international engagement and education. We are proud to be a part of the Fulbright network and thank them for continuing to enrich our campus through its programs."

VSU has a long history of active engagement in Fulbright initiatives, hosting international educators and providing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to study and teach abroad.

Earlier this year, Dr. Lisa Hopson, Director of the Honors College, participated in the Fulbright HBCU International Administrators Program. Dr. Hopson spent weeks in France and Senegal, learning about their higher education systems to gain a cross-cultural perspective and better inform her work at VSU.

In the past, VSU has also hosted Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants and is currently hosting Ms. Camila Igarzabal Saborida from Argentina. Saborida is hosted jointly by the Honors College and the Department of Languages and Literature, where she teaches Spanish.

Additionally, Dr. Sarah Melissa Witiak, Associate Professor of Biology, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to advance research on gall-inducing insects in collaboration with Romanian scientists. From October 2025 to July 2026, Dr. Witiak will be hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University (BBU) in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, one of the country’s premier research institutions and a recognized international center for environmental and ecological studies.

"I am extremely proud that VSU has again been recognized this year as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader,” said Dr. Daniel Roberts, Dean of the Honors College and VSU’s Fulbright Campus Advisor. “This recognition is a testament to how VSU has embraced the mission of Fulbright to connect the peoples of the world."

Virginia State University remains committed to working with Fulbright to offer transformative educational experiences for its campus community.