Morgan State University Named Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for 5th Straight Year as Faculty Members Receive Fulbright Awards

Participation in the Prestigious International Educational Exchange Program to Foster Academic and Cultural Connections between the United States and Other Countries

BALTIMORE — For the fifth consecutive year, the U.S. Department of State has named Morgan State University as a Fulbright Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Institutional Leader in recognition of the University’s noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program during the 2023-24 academic year. The announcement comes on the heels of two Morgan faculty members being selected for international Fulbright awards. Thurman L. Bridges, Ph.D., a chair and associate professor in the School of Education and Urban Studies (SEUS) received a Fulbright Specialist Award, and Mary M. Dunaway, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management (SBM) was selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2024-2025. The pair will travel to Africa to study and conduct research; Bridges will lead a project at William V.S. Tubman University in Liberia, while Dunaway will head a separate effort in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), South Africa. To date, more than 30 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards have been received by Morgan faculty and/or staff.

“As immensely proud as we are of the U.S. Department of State’s continued recognition of Morgan as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader, we are equally as proud of the achievements of our faculty and their commitment to academic excellence on a global scale. The selection of two of our distinguished professors for prestigious Fulbright awards is a testament to the outstanding scholarship and leadership cultivated at Morgan,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “The importance of fostering international collaboration and cultural understanding cannot be understated; we believe that study and research abroad experiences are vital to shaping the global citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Morgan remains steadfast in its commitment to preparing our students and faculty to thrive in an interconnected world through programs like Fulbright, which enrich both our university and the global community.”

Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders demonstrate noteworthy support for Fulbright exchange participants and encourage administrators, faculty and students at HBCUs to engage with Fulbright on campus. The Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders initiative highlights HBCUs as a destination for international students and scholars and showcases the deep intellectual tradition and proud history of each to audiences abroad.

“The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Program are committed to reflecting the full diversity of the United States,” said Scott Weinhold, senior bureau official for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, emphasizing that HBCU engagement with the Fulbright Program helps to accomplish this goal and “builds meaningful relationships between communities and people around the world.”

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities are vital contributors to America’s higher education community.  They are dedicated institutions working to develop the leaders of tomorrow,” said Weinhold.

Recently, Morgan continues to experience success with its production of Fulbright scholars, particularly amongst its faculty. Drs. Bridges and Dunaway add to the University’s rich legacy as they embark upon the African continent.

Fulbright Specialist Award

Fulbright Specialist award recipients are chosen based on their academic and professional achievements, demonstrated leadership in their field, and potential to foster long-term cooperation between U.S. and international institutions. Dr. Bridges leaves for William V.S. Tubman University in Harper City, Maryland County, in Libera, on September 19 and returns on October 30. While abroad, he will focus on enhancing the professional development capacity of teachers by implementing a successful and impactful teacher development program. There is a crucial need at Tubman University to expand the understanding of course content and practices and align teaching with global, societal, and labor market needs while considering the introduction of technology in the classroom.

The project, titled "Pedagogical Training Program for Tubman University Faculty," aims to create an environment that supports student success through effective classroom management, technology integration, and student-centered teaching methods, with the goal of ensuring high-quality education and academic excellence. The project also seeks to promote student-centered approaches to success through awareness and training sessions.

Dr. Thurman will partner with the teaching staff at Tubman University to improve their teaching skills and knowledge. Additionally, he will collaborate with students to introduce different approaches to student success through both in-school and out-of-school programs.

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

The highly competitive Fulbright Scholar Awards provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. Fulbright scholars also play a critical role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations.

Dr. Dunaway, an associate professor of Information Science and Systems, will travel to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), South Africa, where she will spearhead efforts to cultivate a data culture by improving data literacy, fostering research collaborations, developing data skills, and promoting innovation and engagement with the academic and business communities. In Eswatini, she will serve as an Academic Tableau Ambassador for data visualization and analytics with the goal of equipping doctoral students, educators, and business and industry leaders with the necessary skills for becoming a data-driven society.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award because the Fulbright allows me to serve, achieve, and explore my passion for service to humanity,” said Dr. Dunaway. “I eagerly anticipate the 10 months I will spend in Eswatini, sharing coursework and innovative research in artificial intelligence that can support education across the world.”

Her research in the country will also examine the socio-economic and infrastructural factors that influence the adoption of AI technologies while emphasizing the need for strategic investments in technology infrastructure, faculty training, and policy development to support the integration of AI in higher education across sub-Saharan Africa. Eswatini, with a population of 1.2 million people, is predominantly rural and maintains strong traditional practices, operating under the world’s last absolute monarchy.

While the two professors are representing the University abroad, a professor from outside of the country will be participating in their Fulbright experience at Morgan.

Fulbright Scholar-In-Residence

The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program brings visiting scholars from abroad to U.S. colleges and universities. The program aims to internationalize the curricula, campuses, and communities of these institutions, as well as diversify the educational experiences of their students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders.

Morgan State University is currently hosting a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence from Spain. Antumi Toasijé, Ph.D., a historian, artist, and Pan-African activist from New York University in Madrid, where his focus is History-Global Studies, will teach Global History for Morgan’s Department of World Languages and International Studies during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Making the most of his experience at Morgan, Dr. Toasije is teaching a course this fall (SPAN 450 - SPAN 500 Special Topics in Spanish) and one during the spring semester (SPAN 321, Women Writers of Hispanic Africa). Additionally, Dr. Toasije will collaborate on two other courses in the History Department and with the African American and African Diaspora program.

Dr. Toasije is one of 43 Fulbright Scholars-in-Residence and among 1,000 outstanding foreign faculty and professionals taking part in the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program is the nation’s flagship international educational exchange program. The Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and in all fields the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

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Media Contacts:

Cheryl Stewart or Larry Jones, for Morgan State University PR
443-885-3022