Romanian Alumni Stories
"When I found out I had been selected for the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program in Florida, I knew I was about to embark on a life-changing adventure. What I didn’t expect was how deeply it would impact me—as a teacher, a learner, and a global citizen."
"At Harvard, fulfillment came not only from having an incomparable platform for intellectual growth, but also from being part of a nurturing community dedicated to making me feel integrated and heard. [...] I will be forever grateful to Professor Allen, my colleagues at Harvard, and the Fulbright program for making this experience possible."
"My Fulbright experience in Pennsylvania bore colorful and rich fruits of a scientific and cultural nature. The region is rife with Eastern European cultural heritage and was once the workshop and the powerhouse of America. This research visit enabled me to delve further into the fascinating world of microbial biominerals and to establish numerous connections with prestigious American scientists."
"For me, Fulbright came as a challenge for finding new ways of exploring development opportunities in an academic context I had always admired without having the chance to experience it. I started the application journey with little hopes for success, but Fulbright ended up being the most accomplishing program I have ever attended. Looking back, I feel like I can say the Fulbright Program was the period I felt I truly experienced an accelerated personal and professional growth."
"The Fulbright experience is truly life-changing. The values and perspectives I gained will stay with me forever. The nine months passed quickly and it felt like an intense boot camp, both professionally and personally."
"Being selected as a Fulbright Student has been an incredible honor and a truly life-changing experience. During my time at the State University of New York at Albany, I had the opportunity to learn from outstanding faculty and gain knowledge and skills that I am excited to bring back to Romania’s public health system."
"The Fulbright experience pushed me to listen more deeply, to reflect more honestly, and to lead with empathy. It reminded me that good teaching doesn’t happen in isolation—it grows through collaboration, connection, and shared purpose. I returned home with a renewed sense of purpose, confident in my ability to foster connections, encourage dialogue, and positively impact my students and community."
"My Fulbright Scholarship to the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars was a great opportunity for me as a mature scholar not only to pursue my research interest but also to meet a network of world-class scholars and policymakers in Washington, D.C. and to present some of my work to a global audience."
The University of South Carolina has a big campus with diverse colleges, research units and many activities for students, faculty and the general public. [...] I particularly enjoyed the sense of community inside the university, everybody being helpful and polite, and the structure that made the work process clear and easy to follow. It's been a great pleasure to get to know better a society which functions well as a whole, which invests in research and earns in innovation.
Thanks to the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, my experience was beyond my wildest dreams. When we hear about the 'American Dream,' we can only imagine what it takes or how one could be 'good enough' to be part of that dream. But this journey, offered by the Fulbright Commission, seems to be not only a bridge between cultures but also one between reality and the realm of dreams. Once you find yourself on that bridge, you can feel the most important values of humanity: trust, kindness, stability, honor, care, responsibility, and hope.