Traditional Enrichment Seminars for Fulbright Foreign Students

Fulbright Foreign Students Volunteering at the 2010 Enrichment Seminar in Philadelphia

2012 Traditional Enrichment Seminars for First-Year Fulbright Foreign Students

Traditional enrichment seminars bring together approximately 140 first-year Fulbright Foreign Students studying at universities across the United States and six recently returned Fulbright U.S. Student alumni in nine cities across the United States.

Through these enrichment seminars, Fulbright foreign students develop a better understanding of contemporary U.S. life and culture, policy formulation and public attitudes of nationally and globally important issues in the United States.  The enrichment seminars allow participants to meet and network with local citizens in each seminar city, as well as with other Fulbrighters from around the world.

Each year, the seminar highlights a topic of national significance, which also has implications for the global community. This year's theme – “U.S. Politics and Elections: Democracy in Action” – uses the lens of the U.S. presidential election year to examine the nature of democracy and the electoral process in the United States.

In 2012, the Fulbright enrichment seminars will be held in:

Over four days, students will explore contemporary American democracy and politics and learn about how Americans express their democratic rights. They will participate in interactive discussions with subject matter experts, volunteer in local community service projects, engage in group workshops and explore the unique characteristics of each seminar city that shape its local and national elections.

Fulbrighters meet local leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors, the academic community, and local government and have the opportunity to interact with staff from the U.S. Department of State and administering agencies.

Each enrichment seminar incorporates the following elements:

Panel Discussions and Presentations by Experts

Seminars focus on organizations and individuals who are at forefront in their communities of working through the political system to effect positive and lasting change in their cities. Subject matter experts interact with participants to discuss the local and national challenges facing their communities and the strategies they use to address them. 

Community Service Volunteer Projects

At every seminar, Fulbright students work with local volunteer organizations on specific volunteer projects in neighborhoods, public parks and schools. These activities highlight the importance of civic participation in American society. Fulbrighters volunteer side by side with local residents and staff from the U.S. Department of State and administering agencies. Students gain an additional insight into how volunteers of all ages and backgrounds foster a culture of service and civic responsibility. Fulbright foreign students also have the opportunity to give back to the host city community through their service projects.

Home Hospitality Evenings

Local residents of the host community invite Fulbright Foreign Students to dinner in their homes for a home hospitality evening.  This experience is a special highlight of the enrichment seminar program for Fulbright Foreign Students, which allows them to interact directly with Americans and learn first-hand about unique cultural features of American life.

Election Simulation Exercise

Each seminar will allow students to apply the concepts discussed by speakers and panelists in an election simulation exercise.  This exercise helps Fulbright seminar participants connect the seminar topic, the host city's perspective on the topic and the topic's implications for future projects in their home countries.

Cultural Events and Activities

At every enrichment seminar, Fulbrighters explore the unique cultural heritage of the host city. Opening and closing dinners are held at local museums and historic venues, often in conjunction with group tours of galleries and exhibitions. Students learn about host cities in a number of ways, including participating in scavenger hunts, visits to museums and monuments or trips to local points of interest.

Traditional Enrichment Seminars Application and Selection Process

The seminars are open to first-year Fulbrighters in any field of study. All eligible students are encouraged to apply. Seminar assignments are made randomly through a lottery-type process, which takes into account student date preferences, country representation, gender balance, diversity of fields of study and U.S. host university campuses.

For the 2012 seminars, the seminar invitation was sent on October 10, 2011 to all eligible Fulbrighters whose grants are administered by one of the Fulbright Foreign Student cooperating agencies (IIE, LASPAU and AMIDEAST). Applications were due October 31, 2011. Since each seminar accommodates 140 students, not every applicant is able to participate, though efforts are made to include as many students as possible. Students received seminar assignments in early to mid-December 2011.