Warner School to host prestigious Fulbright Program for international teachers for a third consecutive year
The ɱ’s Warner School of Education and Human Development has been awarded $275,000 to continue hosting the , marking the third consecutive year the Warner School has received funding for this prestigious international exchange initiative.
The ɱ is one of only two institutions nationwide selected to host the Fulbright program in the fall 2025 semester. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs and implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board, the Fulbright program provides professional development for outstanding international primary and secondary teachers.
This fall, 23 Fulbright Teachers from 15 countries—Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Finland, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Senegal, Taiwan, Uganda, and the United Kingdom—will spend four months at the ɱ. During their stay from August 12 through December 10, they will engage in graduate coursework, conduct research, and collaborate with local educators through school-based field experiences.
University faculty will serve as mentors, while local cooperating teachers will support classroom experiences and assist with research projects. Fulbright participants will work with three local partnering school districts—, , and —to observe, co-design, and co-implement culturally informed lessons and bring global perspectives to Rochester-area classrooms. Fulbright Teachers will also present their research projects during the Fulbright Education and Culture Exhibition, held during International Education Week at the ɱ.
This year’s program will include expanded collaborations with the University’s International Services Office (ISO) and Office for Global Engagement (OGE), which will enhance the Fulbright program by contributing to student life programming and co-curricular activities. Hairong Shang-Butler, associate professor and director of the international TESOL program at Warner, will continue as principal investigator (PI) and program director. She is joined by Nathaniel Bloemke, ISO interim associate director for support and engagement, as co-principal investigator, and Michelle Heckman, visiting assistant professor of multilingual education, as school-site coordinator. Heidi Mergenthaler, ISO global visitor program manager, also returns to support the program.
The Fulbright Program epitomizes international teacher exchange, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration, explains Shang-Butler. “At Rochester, we aim to build a global teacher network rooted in a welcoming culture of belonging and sustainability,” she says. “Over the past two years, 39 Fulbright Teachers have worked with us to transform their cultural, linguistic, and educational experiences into innovative lesson designs and research projects that benefit both local students and communities in their home countries. Many continue to collaborate with Warner School faculty, pursue graduate studies at Rochester, and maintain connections with local schools.”
“Fulbright is a seminal program promoting mutual understanding between the United States and other countries,” says Ravi Shankar, interim vice provost for global engagement at the ɱ. “The Warner Fulbright program supports the University’s strategic goals of global reputation and global learning. The Office for Global Engagement is proud to help foster these long-term international relationships.”
To support a deeper sense of belonging and community, each Fulbright Teacher will be paired with a “Friendship Family”—a local Rochester family or community member who will provide cultural exchange and personal support during their stay.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international exchange program, promoting mutual understanding and collaboration between people in the United States and other nations. In 2023 and 2024, the Warner School hosted 17 and 22 international educators, respectively, in Rochester.