Virginia State University Earns First-Ever Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution Designation
The recognition reflects the University’s growing national profile in international education.
Virginia State University is proud to announce that it has been named a Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution by the U.S. Department of State. This marks the first time in the University’s history that it has received this prestigious recognition, which honors colleges and universities with the highest number of faculty and administrators selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.
For the 2025–26 academic year, three VSU scholars were 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)
- 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 reflects VSU’s broader engagement with the Fulbright Program across teaching, research, and international collaboration. In 2025, Hopson participated in the Fulbright HBCU International Administrators Program, spending several weeks in France and Senegal learning about their higher education systems and gaining cross-cultural perspectives that inform her leadership at VSU.
Additionally, Dr. Witiak is being hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a leading research institution and internationally recognized center for environmental and ecological studies, through June 2026. During her time abroad, Dr. Witiak is conducting collaborative research on gall-inducing insects with Romanian scientists.
Dr. Roberts is also currently participating in a Fulbright program in South Africa, where he will remain through July 2026.
VSU’s designation as a Fulbright Scholar Top Producing Institution is distinct from the Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader designation, which the University has earned for each of the past four years in recognition of its exceptional support for Fulbright participants and active promotion of Fulbright opportunities on campus.
Virginia State University remains committed to partnering with Fulbright to provide transformative global learning, teaching, and research experiences for its campus community.