SDSU named Fulbright HSI Leader for fourth straight year

San Diego State University received the U.S. State Department designation as a Fulbright HSI Leader for the fourth consecutive year, recognizing the university’s commitment as a Hispanic-Serving Institution to the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program.

SDSU joined 50 other universities nationwide recognized as Fulbright HSI Leaders. The group was announced Sunday at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual meeting in Aurora, Colorado.

In a letter to SDSU President Adela de la Torre, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the HSI Leader recognition “is a testament to your institution’s dedication to promoting global engagement and international understanding. Fulbrighters make the world a better place in classrooms and countries worldwide.”

During the most recent Fulbright cycle, seven SDSU students earned Fulbright scholarships to conduct research or teach English abroad. Over the past two decades, approximately 109 SDSU affiliated applicants have received Fulbright grants.

“To consistently earn a place among HSI Fulbright Leaders is a reflection of SDSU’s dedication to serve our community while making a global impact,” said de la Torre. “We take great pride in our longstanding role in the Fulbright program, and share its ideal of diplomacy through higher education.”

Separately, two SDSU professors and alumni, Kristal Bivona (’07, English) and Charlene Holkenbrink-Monk (’23, Joint Ph.D. in Education) are among a select group of U.S. academics pursuing research as Fulbright Scholars this year. 

Bivona, assistant professor of classics and humanities and associate director of SDSU’s Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies, is a Fulbrighter in both programs. She earned her first student grant in 2007 as an SDSU undergraduate to teach English in Argentina. Today, she’s in Brazil conducting research as a faculty Fulbright Scholar.

As an undergraduate, Bivona said she received valuable support from her Fulbright advisor and professors, who provided feedback and encouragement toward her successful application. She called the program life changing, particularly for students who can’t otherwise afford to study abroad.

“Fulbright not only creates an opportunity for international exchange and for advancing research and creative projects, but it also supports the students financially so that they are able to seize the opportunity,” she said.

Fulbright also plays an important role in framing how the United States is perceived around the world, she said.

“When prestigious programs like Fulbright send Latinx students and faculty abroad to represent the U.S. as cultural ambassadors, people in other parts of the world learn that many Americans are Latinx and learn about aspects of Latinx culture, which broadens their perspective of the U.S. and fosters deeper intercultural understanding,” said Bivona.

The Fulbright HSI Leader honor reflects the goals of SDSU’s Global Strategic Plan, which calls on leveraging the university's unique stature as a border-connected HSI to forge a path to becoming a top-tier research university.

“As a premier transborder university located just 25 miles from Baja California, SDSU takes great pride in being recognized as a Fulbright HSI Leader for the fourth consecutive year," said Cristina Alfaro, associate vice president of International Affairs at SDSU. "The designation speaks to the dynamic multilingual and multicultural character of our campuses, and the positive impact this diversity brings to our students and faculty, all in perfect alignment with Fulbright's mission."

For the upcoming 2025-26 Fulbright cycle, 15 students applied after going through SDSU’s campus interview process, while four students submitted proposals without a campus interview.

“We are very fortunate to have brilliant bicultural and Spanish-speaking students participating in the Fulbright program,” said Yoshiko Higurashi, professor emerita of Japanese and advisor to the Fulbright Student Program. “The knowledge exchange and connections that they gain through Fulbright experiences enhance their global awareness, preparing them to be leaders with international perspectives in the competitive global arena.”

SDSU was designated an HSI by the U.S. Department of Education in 2012. HSIs must have at least a 25% enrollment of Hispanic students. This year, Hispanic/Latinostudents make up 36% of combined undergraduate/graduate enrollment at SDSU’s San Diego and Imperial Valley campuses.

"Being named a Fulbright HSI Leader for the fourth consecutive year demonstrates SDSU's dedication to creating meaningful pathways for our students on our path toward being a true Hispanic-serving institution,” said Emilio Ulloa, associate chief diversity officer for HSI and regional affairs. “We need to acknowledge the work of our faculty, staff, and administrators who have contributed to this recognition, as they help create such impactful opportunities for our students.”

SDSU joins three other Cal State University institutions recognized this year as Fulbright HSI Leaders, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Northridge, and San José State.

“The enthusiasm and support for the Fulbright Program extends across the CSU’s 23 universities, 21 of which are HSIs,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia, a two-time Fulbrighter herself, “and I am confident that our engagement with the program will continue to grow as we advance our shared priority of teaching our talented and diverse students, the world’s future leaders, to become active and engaged participants in our increasingly interconnected, interdependent global economy and society.”