VSU Named Top Fulbright Scholar Producing Institution | Virginia State University News

The recognition reflects the University’s growing national profile in international education.

Virginia State University (VSU) has been named a Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution by the U.S. Department of State, an honor it received for the 2025–26 academic year. This is the first time in the University’s history it has earned this recognition, which acknowledges colleges and universities with the highest number of faculty and administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

VSU secured this distinction with three scholars selected for Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards, the highest total among the 60 baccalaureate institutions recognized as Fulbright Top Producing Institutions nationwide and the second-highest total among Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The selected scholars are Dr. Lisa M. Hopson, Director of the Honors College (France and Senegal); Dr. Sarah M. Witiak, Associate Professor of Biology (Romania); and Dr. Daniel M. Roberts, Dean of the Honors College (South Africa).

“VSU’s recognition as a Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution is further evidence of our growing national reputation in international education,” said Dr. Tia A. Minnis, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Greater Happens Here plays out in many ways across our campus, including having more professors with Fulbright experiences abroad teaching in our classrooms. I commend all past and present VSU faculty and staff who have received Fulbright awards and contributed to strengthening our internationalization efforts.”

This recognition builds on VSU’s existing engagement with the Fulbright Program. In 2025, Dr. Hopson participated in the Fulbright HBCU International Administrators Program, spending several weeks in France and Senegal to learn about their higher education systems and gain cross-cultural perspectives.

Dr. Witiak is currently hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a leading research institution, through June 2026. She is conducting collaborative research on gall-inducing insects with Romanian scientists.

Dr. Roberts is also currently participating in a Fulbright program in South Africa, with his program continuing through July 2026.

VSU has also been recognized as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for the past four years, acknowledging its support for Fulbright participants and promotion of Fulbright opportunities on campus. This latest designation as a Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution is distinct from the HBCU Institutional Leader recognition.

Virginia State University has a history of active engagement in Fulbright initiatives, including hosting international educators and providing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to study and teach abroad. Hunter Mack, a former VSU football player and engineering major, received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award to the Czech Republic for the 2021-2022 academic year. Dr. Karl Jackson, associate professor of chemistry, served as a Fulbright Scholar in Ghana for the 2023-2024 academic year. Dr. Chevelle Hall, associate professor of sports Management, participated as a Fulbright Hays Scholar in Taiwan during summer of 2023, while Dr. Patricia Lynch, Associate Professor of Dietetics, completed a Fulbright Specialist award in Indonesia in January 2023. The university has also hosted Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants from Mexico and Argentina, and welcomed Fulbright Visiting Scholar Dr. Shafaq Fatima from Pakistan.

VSU remains committed to partnering with Fulbright to provide global learning, teaching, and research experiences for its campus community.