fulbright program – Jefe's House

flabbergasted (adjective) – greatly surprised or astonished

I’m flattered to have been nominated and elected to serve a two-year term as President of the Fulbright India Interest Group (FIIG), a sanctioned alumni subgroup of the Fulbright Association. Thank you for your faith in me.

The Fulbright Association is an independent non-profit alumni organization. Since its inception in 1946, Fulbright scholarships have facilitated over 400,000 academic and professional exchanges across 165 countries, promoting cultural understanding and reducing conflict.

The Association furthers the Fulbright Program‘s mission by connecting global Fulbrighters and their ideas, supporting career development and mentorship, and advocating for the future of the Fulbright Program. We envision a peaceful and cooperative world advanced through international educational exchange and cultural immersion.

Go, Guttman!

I’m honored have been invited to speak at two upcoming events at Guttman Community College CUNY hosted by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society International. I spoke at Guttman recently as a Legacy Ambassador for The Fulbright Program about my experiences as a Fulbright-Nehru Research Scholar to India, and stressed that I also proudly began my higher education journey with my freshman year at Virginia Western Community College where I was a Dean’s List and Honor Roll student before transferring to NYU Tisch School of the Arts for my BFA and MFA.

This first event is a panel discussion of community college alums. For the second event, I’ll be the keynote speaker at the Honors Society Induction Ceremony welcoming new members into Phi Theta Kappa.

Meet the Incredible Dr. Mtonga

Had a wonderful time yesterday with Dr. Thomas Mtonga, PhD, Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, who was guest-lecturing in NYC at New York University and Guttman Community College-CUNY on Inclusive Education From an African Perspective. I was able to co-present with him at Guttman today (Go, Grizzlies!). Dr. Mtonga’s home institution is The University Of Zambia (UNZA).

There’s a wonderful profile of him at https://www.cehd.umn.edu/overcoming-barriers-through-resilience-and-purpose. Read it and you will understand why I was so awed and honored to share the room with him today as a Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador telling about my own Fulbright experiences as a prelude to his talk.

Many thanks to Nick Fortier, Lecturer of Interdisciplinary Studies and Coordinator of the Teaching and Learning Center at Guttman for making the arrangements (including the hot coffee and delicious brownies).

NYU Fulbright Reception

Such a wonderful and reenergizing time at the New York University Fulbright Reception today meeting international Fulbright students from around the world and US faculty like me, sharing stories about our experiences and the ongoing impact they’re having on our personal and professional growth. Thank you, NYU Changemaker Center and NYU Office of Global Awards for the experience and the new friendships (and the delicious meal).

Unmute and Rock to the FIIG Film Festival

Hey you, current or former Fulbrighters who’ve made a film about South or Central Asia in the past 5 years: the Fulbright India Interest Group (FIIG), sponsored by the Fulbright Association, has launched another annual film festival just for you after last year’s tremendous success with our inaugural fest. Your Fulbright research/teaching award doesn’t have to have been in Central or South Asia for you to submit your film.

Registration is FREE. The festival will be online, also FREE, and open to the worldwide general public for max exposure of your work.

Deadline January 30, 2026.

Apply here.