The college has received high praise from the Chronicle of Higher Education for being a “top producer of Fulbright students.” It is a testament to the quality of the students attending Ithaca College that it has been ranked fifth among master’s-level institutions nationwide in terms of producing Fulbrights. In the past 10 years alone, 17 students from the college have earned Fulbrights. This can be attributed in part to the strength of the college’s Office of International Programs. Professors have noted the importance of studying abroad and gaining the global perspective necessary in a Fulbright scholar, so the opportunities afforded to students through the OIP are helpful when they apply for this selective scholarship.

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange from 2013, only a small percentage of U.S. college or university students have had some type of academic international experience by the time they graduate, but the number of students studying abroad has nearly doubled in the last decade. The importance of studying abroad is increasingly being recognized and acted upon. The college offers study-abroad scholarships, offering an opportunity for students to overcome financial barriers. The college also participates in exchange programs and affiliated programs, if students desire an experience outside of what the college offers.

Global perspectives have always been valuable, but this has been enhanced by globalization. It is essential to promote experiences that will take students out of their comfort zones and make them more valuable citizens of the world. Though not every graduate will become a Fulbright Scholar, many more of them will think like one.