VSU Honors College Director Dr. Lisa Hopson now Fulbright Scholar
Virginia State University is proud to recognize Dr. Lisa Hopson, Director of the Honors College, for being selected to participate in the Fulbright HBCU International Administrators Program.
This spring, Hopson will spend two weeks in France and Senegal, learning about their higher education systems to gain a cross-cultural perspective and better inform her work at the University.
“Becoming a Fulbright scholar is one of the most coveted designations in higher education, so I am beyond thankful for this opportunity,” said Hopson. “I’m looking forward to meeting and collaborating with professionals like myself to learn about French and Senegalese universities and use that knowledge to enhance the educational experience at VSU.“
Hopson, a two-time VSU alumna, will be one of 12 administrators from HBCUs nationwide participating in this competitive program from March 28 – April 13. Spending a week in each country, these administrators will visit various universities around France and Senegal, allowing them to build their institution’s capacity for international education and open doors to collaboration with colleagues and students worldwide.
Hopson says she aims to build connections with educators in France and Senegal to learn new perspectives and gain insight into best practices and trends she can bring back to implement at the University.
“I see it as a direct investment in the future of our students here at VSU,” Hopson said. “The main goal is to bring back resources and opportunities to benefit our students. This could be in the form of programs, courses, virtual seminars, or workshops that connect our students with students from various backgrounds in France and Senegal.“
Fulbright is the largest and most diverse international exchange program in the world. In September 2024, VSU was named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for the third consecutive year. The University considers this an important accomplishment and a testament to its unwavering support for global education and the Fulbright program.
With 15 past or current Fulbright recipients on campus, Fulbright’s presence at VSU continues to strengthen and impact the University’s overall internationalization efforts, including record student participation in study abroad programs over the past three years.
Fulbright has many faces on campus, including Dr. Hopson, Mr. Jesus Gomez, VSU’s fourth Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (Spanish), and other faculty and staff across the entire University. The goal is to continue to grow and strengthen Fulbright’s presence on the VSU campus and the University’s global education efforts.
Faculty, staff, and students interested in learning more about Fulbright opportunities are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Daniel Roberts, Dean of the Honors College and VSU’s Fulbright Campus Advisor, at droberts@vsu.edu.
Source: VSU
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
