News from the Fulbright Commission
Sunday, October 20, 2024, we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program in the Netherlands. It was a joyous celebration full of reunions, fond memories of our past, and hopeful glimpses into our future. Keynote speeches were given by the Honorary Chairs of our Board, Minister Eppo Bruins and U.S. Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal, who embody our Commission’s binational foundation, as well as by Professor James Kennedy, who reflected on the history of this very foundation. For an impression of the speeches, the panel discussion of some of our Commission’s alumni, and the reception, you can watch the after movie by clicking here. You can also view photos of the event by clicking this link.
College Night 2024
On Monday, September 23, school students, parents and teachers from all over the Netherlands were able to meet with representatives from 14 American universities. They came from all over the US to the Netherlands to talk to interested students. The evening was opened by Charlie Hornstra of EducationUSA, who addressed the students and gave them some advice for their orientation on studying in the US.
College Night is an annual event and is organized by EducationUSA/Fulbright. The event was attended by 300 school students and parents. Besides 14 American universities, they were also able to meet representatives from the Ivy Circle, US Embassy and Consulate General, American Fulbright students in the Netherlands, and alumni of the Campus Scholarship Program.
We look back on this edition of College Night with great pleasure!
Fulbright Award Ceremony 2024
This year, the Fulbright Commission the Netherlands celebrated 21 Dutch graduate students, doctoral candidates, and scholars who have been awarded Fulbright scholarships. The recipients and their families gathered for a celebratory award ceremony at the historic Aula of Utrecht University. The event was attended by officials from the Dutch and American governments, members of the Fulbright Board, Fulbright staff, and alumni of the Fulbright program.
Speakers for this year’s awards ceremony included:
Dr. Anton Pijpers, President of Utrecht University and Chair of the Board of the Fulbright Commission the Netherlands
Ms. Shefali Razdan Duggal, U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Mr. Gerbert Kunst, Director of International Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Dr. Tara Peris, U.S. Fulbright scholar alumna
Ms. Rehana Al-Soltane, Dutch Fulbright student alumna
Dr. Michiel Kolman, Dutch Fulbright student alumnus speaking on behalf of Fulbright sponsor Elsevier
Dr. Christward Gradenwitz, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission the Netherlands
To start the ceremony, Dr. Anton Pijpers gave a warm introduction to all the ceremony’s attendees. His speech motivated the outgoing grantees and told them about the remarkable experience they are about to have in the United States, an experience that he said “will undoubtedly change the course of [their] lives.” Dr. Pijpers’ advice to them was to “be open-minded, do not shy away from interesting or challenging conversations about either country. Learn and educate. Find common ground and celebrate it, acknowledge difference and try to respect it.”
Next, Ms. Shefali Razdan Duggal, the U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, gave a touching speech about the relationship between the U.S. and the Netherlands, and the role that Fulbright plays in maintaining and fortifying that relationship. She said: “This experience is more than an educational opportunity…The Fulbright program has helped strengthen the friendship between the people from the United States and the Netherlands for 75 years.”
Mr. Gerbert Kunst from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science then shared some words. He reminded the grantees that they are now part of a group of the best and the brightest, and reiterated that “Fulbright is all about…sharing ideas, sharing time and ultimately broadening our horizons and tackling difficult questions together,” ending with the words of Senator Fulbright himself: “The aim is to bring a little more knowledge and a little more compassion in the world.”
Fulbright alum Rehana Al-Soltane reflected on her Fulbright experience to share some sage advice and encouragement with our 2024-2025 Dutch grantees: “My curiosity, passion for education, creativity and pack of hagelslag became my anchoring points. They helped me in this wild journey where I was on a mission to develop world class education in Computer Science and AI to students all over the world, especially those in underserved communities. You see, the journey you are about to embark on is unlike any you’ve taken before. The beauty in the type of education in the universities that you just got accepted in, is in their ability to make you deconstruct who you are as a person, what you stand for, and what you believe in. It’s a peculiar transformation, really, where at the end, you have to build yourself up again, piece by piece, with your own two hands. This is not to scare you, but to inspire you to find those anchoring points in yourself.”
Next, Dr. Tara Peris shared her thoughts on her own Fulbright experience in the Netherlands: “What a gift it’s all been, the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas across labs and cultures. To talk about what motivates our work, both professionally and personally. I’m leaving here with a much better understanding of the breadth and depth of the research taking place in the Netherlands, exposure to new research methods, and to a different rhythm of academic life. The professional connections are a boon, but the personal ones are even better. They are what really leads to the kind of cross cultural understanding that Fulbright seeks to cultivate.” She encouraged the outgoing grantees “to approach [their Fulbright experience] with curiosity, persistence, humor, and a willingness to put yourself out there,” reminding them that “[she’ll] be part of that Fulbright community rooting [them] on and trying to live vicariously through [their] adventures.”
Next, Elsevier representative and Fulbright alumnus Michiel Kolman had some words to share with the grantees. He started by giving a special mention to this year’s two Elsevier sponsorees, grantees Zawdie Sandvliet and Nina Tobsch. Then, he connected with all of the 2024-2025 grantees: “I also stand before you as a fellow Fulbrighter. I was in your shoes at a very similar event before I traveled to New York for my graduate studies at Columbia University.” Mr. Kolman ended by acknowledging the reach of Fulbright students both abroad and at home, wishing the grantees “lots of success on [their] own mission[s] of internationalization, [and] an amazing time, academically and on the personal front.”
Finally, Fulbright Commission the Netherlands’ Executive Director and Fulbright alumnus himself, Dr. Christward Gradenwitz, shared a few comments. He reflected on the selection process of Fulbrighters: “In selecting grantees for educational exchange, Fulbright is looking for innovators, leaders, and trailblazers, coming from all segments of society, and from all walks of life” – this description details some of the strengths and merits of the new cohort. To finish, he touched on the longer-lasting, bigger picture impact of Fulbright on grantees’ lives, as Fulbright has impacted his own life: “Think about what it means for you to have a Fulbright experience. It is not just about receiving money to be able to do study or research at an institution of high repute. It is much more than that. And yet, later on, if you have become alumni of these grand institutions that you are about to join, we hope that you will remember the vehicle that brought you there.”
Fulbright Grantees 2024-2025
This year, our grantees received their awards from U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ms. Shefali Razdan Duggal, and Director of International Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Gerbert Kunst.
Grantees
Scholars:
Dr. Youssef Azghari, Saginaw Valley State University
Dr. Doris van Halem, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD students:
Roby Cremers, New York University
Tijn Croon, Columbia University
Bernhard Degen, University of California San Diego
Emmelie Dekker, The University of Texas
Jelmar Meester, University of Maryland
Bart Nauta, University of California Los Angeles
Elissa Polomski, Harvard University
Zawdie Sandvliet, Brown University (sponsored by Elsevier)
Nina Tobsch, City University of New York (sponsored by Elsevier)
Graduate students:
Kim Deen, New York University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Allysia van Duijn, New York University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Sacha Gyapjas, New York University
Peter Hansum, Duke University
Floor Keuning, Brown University
Jasmine Khelil, New York University
Duco Laane, Harvard University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Caya van der Sluis, New York University
Kimberley Snijders, Columbia University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Mike Winterwerp, Harvard University (recipient of the supplementary Ivy Circle Award)
Welcome Reception U.S. Fulbright Grantees
On Thursday 22 September, Fulbright the Netherlands held the annual Welcome reception for the U.S. Fulbright grantees and returning grantees and alumni from the Dutch Fulbright Program and our other programs at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in The Hague. The afternoon program for the U.S. Graduate students was dedicated to informing them about Dutch history, culture and politics, with lectures from amongst others Professor James Kennedy and Political Unit Chief Lee Skluzak. We were also joined by U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs Ethan Rosenzweig. More photos are available on this link.
Thanks to the U.S. Embassy for hosting us!
Fulbright Award Ceremony 2022
This year, the Fulbright Commission congratulates 22 Dutch graduate students, doctoral candidates and scientists for receiving the Fulbright scholarship. The grantees and their families were welcomed for a festive award ceremony at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Hague. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Dutch and American governments, Fulbright board members, staff and alumni.
This year’s speakers included:
Prof. Dr. Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science
Ms. Marja Verloop, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the Netherlands
Prof. Dr. Anton Pijpers, Chair of the Board of the Fulbright Commission
Ms. Lise Mitsinga, Fulbright alumna at Columbia Law School
Dr. Christward Gradenwitz, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission
Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf was pleased to address the Fulbright recipients. He can recommend studying and researching in the US from personal experience. He encouraged the Fulbright grantees to celebrate their successes, but more importantly, to embrace failure as well. His advice to Fulbrighters: “Embark on this wonderful adventure with conviction and curiosity. Meet each other, make friends, and find people with a different outlook on life than yours. Dare to deviate from the path laid out for you and try to find that winding road.”
Prof. Dr. Anton Pijpers, chairman of the board of the Fulbright Commission, and master of ceremonies at the award ceremony, thanked the minister for his speech and his ongoing support for the Fulbright program: “We are also very happy at Fulbright to have you as our Minister. How special it is to have a former member of the Board of the Fulbright Commission, which you were before leaving for Princeton, returning as the Minister addressing our grantees in that capacity! Truly wonderful.”
He shared the following message with the audience: “Today, we are celebrating the fact that a select group of young scholars and students have been awarded a Fulbright grant. This opportunity will not only help them fulfill their ambitions, but it also helps realize the mission of the Fulbright Program: promoting mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and citizens of other nations […] Grantees – you are about to embark on a great adventure. One that will undoubtedly alter the course of your lives. I can assure you that you will return as a changed person, enriched in many ways.”
Chargé d’Affaires Marja Verloop addressed the audience on behalf of the American government. “Good afternoon, everyone. I want to join Minister Dijkgraaf and President Pijpers in congratulating to our grantees, and to thank our colleagues from the Ministry of Education for being such gracious hosts,” sprak zij. Aan de bursalen geeft zij het volgende mee: “Your Fulbright grants will open doors in ways you cannot imagine. You will gain new perspectives and learn to dream bigger. Years from now you will message with your best friend in America…someone you haven’t even met yet. And that all starts today. As our chief of mission here I can say this with some authority: You are all Ambassadors now. For your schools, for your fields of study, for the Netherlands.”
Chairman Anton Pijpers also thanked the American government for their contributions to the Fulbright program. “We are fortunate today to hear from both of you, representing the American and Dutch governments respectively. Binational support is a foundational principle of the Fulbright Program in the Netherlands. The predecessor of our Commission was founded in 1949 on the basis of a Treaty between our two governments. Ever since the Fulbright Program has been able to flourish in the Netherlands thanks to the unwavering support of both governments.”
Lise Mitsinga received a Fulbright scholarship for pursuing her master degree at Columbia Law School in New York in 2021-2022. She recently returned from the US and was happy to join the new grantees and share three important insights from her personal experience. “First, derive meaning in the challenges you will undoubtedly face and know that you have the grace to overcome them. […] For a lot of us academic excellence is the standard that we have always upheld, and it can be intimidating to enter spaces where suddenly everyone is smart and you won’t always understand something instantly. Regardless, know that you belong in the spaces you are about to enter and that your contributions are valuable. Second, do not forget to invest in the intangible things that will outlast the duration of your program. […] Lastly, being admitted to a prestigious academic program or research opportunity is a milestone in itself, but the real challenge lies up ahead. Because on the other side of privilege lies responsibility. It is important to make a conscious effort to think of ways to leverage the resources that are made available to us, to leave a positive footprint, and to pay it forward whenever we can.”
In closing, Christward Gradenwitz, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission, shared his view on our important mission of mutual understanding with the Fulbright grantees: “Fulbright is about connecting people between the U.S. and other countries, where states sometimes get into conflicts or even war. With the war in Ukraine this is more topical than ever. When the war started the Fulbright community reached out to Ukrainian and Russian Fulbrighters alike. In essence Fulbright is about building empathy, tolerance, and understanding, by learning to appreciate a diversity of views and of perspectives. As a matter of fact diversity is at the heart of the Fulbright Program.” De Fulbright bursalen dragen ieder bij aan deze missie, benadrukte hij verder. “Fulbright is looking for innovators, leaders, and trailblazers. This was the task we set ourselves this year again. I believe I can speak on behalf of all the selection committee members in saying that it was a great privilege and joy to interview the students this year. Their passion for their projects was infectious. We all enjoyed our time with you, and we cannot wait to watch you embark on your journeys.”
Fulbright Grantees 2022-2023
The grantees received their awards from Chargé d’Affaires Marja Verloop, on behalf of the U.S. government, and Director of International Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Gerbert Kunst, on behalf of the Dutch government. We wish the 22 Fulbright grantees a successful and inspiring time in the United States.
Grantees
Scholar:
Groenewoud, Dr. G.M.M., City University of New York City College
PhD students:
Bouras, H., City University of New York (gesponsord door Elsevier)
Frieswijk, K., Yale University
Helmink, F.G.L., University of Michigan (gesponsord door Elsevier)
Huijsmans, T.M., Stanford University
Kempen, A., University of California Santa Cruz
Nieuwenhuizen, E.N., Rutgers University
Roggeveen, B., Harvard University
Schuurmans, K., Harvard University
Zwan, van der, T., University of California San Diego
Fulbright Schuman Grant
Jong, J.F., de, New York University
Graduate Students:
Al-Soltane, R., Harvard University
Beekenkamp, J.C., Harvard University
Benschop, C.A.L., New York University
Fliert, M.G.J., van de, Harvard University
Golterman, L., University of California Los Angeles
Hartendorp, A.K., Johns Hopkins University
Helder, C., van den, University of Illinois Chicago
Kuipers, H., Mayo Clinic Rochester
Vleugels, S.C.P., Manhattan School of Music
Vroom, M.M., University of California Los Angeles
Vulkers, L., The New School
Welcome reception for American Fulbright grantees
The American Embassy welcomed our newly arrived American scholars, graduate students and English Teaching Assistants at the American ambassador’s residence in The Hague.
The reception was held in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Program this year. A great moment to reflect on the impact that the Fulbright Program has had worldwide because of the thousands of grantees that have had the opportunity to learn and work in each other’s nations. Fulbright has facilitated the academic exchange between the United States and other countries for 75 years of which 71 years with the Netherlands. The positive impact it has had does not only influence academics but also spans across individual lives and a general understanding between our societies.
We are not only reflecting back on our history but also looking towards an exciting future. The coming 75 years we expect that talent from both the Netherlands and the United States will at the very least match the achievements of those who have gone before them. All future participants will continue to contribute to collaborations and new discoveries. Fulbright will remain committed to offer equal opportunities to exceptional students, academics, teachers, artists and professionals from the Netherlands and the United States.
Before the reception, a welcoming-program was also organized by the U.S. Embassy for American students, ETA’s and scholars. They were invited to attend lectures that focused on Dutch culture from several different perspectives.
The speakers attending were;
Mr. Ryan Roberts, Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy
Mr. Christward Gradenwitz, Executive Director Fulbright Commission the Netherlands
Mr. James Kennedy, Professor Modern Dutch History at Utrecht University
Mr. Omar Cardentey, Deputy Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy.
Through these lectures the Americans were introduced to the basics of the Dutch political system, a brief history on the Dutch and were given a Dutch/American perspective on diversity and diplomacy.
The Fulbright Commission congratulates the 2021 Fulbright grantees
The Fulbright Commission the Netherlands was very pleased to organize its annual award ceremony for Dutch Fulbright scholarship recipients at the U.S. Embassy in Wassenaar on June 8th. In this special year, which marks the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright program, 19 Dutch scholars, PhD researchers and graduate students attended a hybrid award ceremony together with officials from the Dutch and American government, Fulbright staff and alumni. The ceremony was live streamed for family and friends to attend.
Among this year’s speakers were
Ms. Marja Verloop, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the Netherlands
Prof. dr. Anton Pijpers, Chair of the Fulbright Commission Board
Mr. Gerbert Kunst, Director of International Policy, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Ms. Trix Mulder, Fulbright Alumna, University of Maryland
Mr. Aydan Figaroa, Fulbright Alumnus, Yale University
Dr. Christward Gradenwitz, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission
“This is the first event we are hosting in the Embassy since the pandemic began and I’m so glad we are using it to honor you,” said Chargé d’Affaires Marja Verloop as she welcomed the grantees. “For the last 75 years, Fulbright has been enriching lives, supporting research, and building bridges across the Atlantic. […] Senator Fulbright believed so strongly in the ideal of mutual understanding and people-to-people diplomacy that he did something decidedly American—he went to Congress and requested the establishment of the largest exchange program in history. 75 years later, Fulbright is known as much for academic excellence as it is for bridging cultures and for forming lifelong bonds. From the Cold War, to the rise of the Internet and now into this century, scholars like you have innovated, broadened our understanding of our world, and left their mark on Fulbright. Your Fulbright grants will open doors in ways you cannot imagine, you will gain new perspectives and learn to dream bigger.”
Mr Gerbert Kunst, Director of the Department of International Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science added that “these are experiences you will never forget. And don’t be afraid to dedicate yourself to a better world. You don’t need to be a world leader or nobel prize winner to do that, although you never know what could happen!”
Chair of the board, Prof. Dr. Anton Pijpers said: “You will serve as ambassadors for your country, just as the incoming U.S. students and scholars will represent their country. What does it mean to serve as an Ambassador? I would say it means: be authentic, be open-minded, do not shy away from interesting or challenging conversations about either country. Learn and educate. Find common ground and celebrate it, acknowledge difference and try to respect it. As I am sure our speakers will remind us today, our two nations share deep and meaningful historic ties and a promising future. We are delighted that you will be a part of that future.”
Our Fulbright alumni also had some good insights to share with the grantees.
Aydan Figaroa attended Yale Law School with a Fulbright grant in 2020-2021 and said: “Having this amazing Fulbright experience made me realize what my position was in the world, what my position was with the law, and now I can use the law to make the world hopefully a better place.” He had one more solid piece of advice to share with our grantees: “Be open and honest. Be open and honest to yourself – it’s ok to sometimes feel out of place and to miss your friends and family. And also be open and honest to others: talk to your peers, talk to your professors, talk to the people you meet on the streets. It will help you find your position in the world.”
Fulbright alumna Trix Mulder attended the University of Maryland in 2019 and said: “Even if you spend most of your time in academia, make sure you also have time to speak to other Americans. There are different ways to go about this. My way was watching sports. I deliberately chose to go to games on my own. I noticed very quickly that Americans are very curious about the people sitting next to them, especially when they’re sitting alone. I met the nicest people during those games. They told me so much about what it means to be in their city and what it means to be an American. Some of them even invited me for a meal to talk some more. Two years later, I am still in contact with some of them. I truly believe that combining the information I received from the people within academia and the information people outside academia gave me, helped me understand the American culture better. It also helped me understand American law better – because law does not exist on its own.”
Finally, Executive Director Christward Gradenwitz shared more advice on how to approach the important mission of mutual understanding. “One way of looking at mutual understanding is to see the common ground. The U.S. and the Netherlands HAVE a lot of common ground. In essence we share the foundations that can be called the hallmarks of Western society, like freedom, democracy, and human rights. But mutual understanding is not only about what is the same. It is also about what is different. Not only BETWEEN our two countries, but also WITHIN them. If there is no common ground, how can we find the middle ground? We can learn from each other, by looking at how we try to deal with differences in our respective countries. Differences are good; diversity is great. Quite rightly it is a theme that is high on all agendas everywhere. By approaching mutual understanding the way I suggested, as Fulbrighters we can put diversity at the heart of our mission.”
Announcing the 2021 grantees
For the 2021-2022 academic year, 19 Dutch scholarship recipients will study, lecture and/or research in the U.S.. We congratulate this year’s Fulbright award recipients and wish them a successful and inspirational academic year in the U.S.
Scholar:
Roy Otten, Arizona State University
Promovendi:
Dirk Alkemade, New Netherlands Research Center (sponsored by NNRC)
Rob de Haas, University of Washington (sponsored by Elsevier)
Freek Heideman, New York University
Eva van der Linden, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute
Kim de Luca, University of California – Berkeley (sponsored by Elsevier)
Mirjam Meijer, University of California – Los Angeles
Stéphanie Noach, Harvard University
Mieke Slim, Harvard University
Lotte Spreeuwenberg, City University of New York
Simon van der Weele, Johns Hopkins University (sponsored by Elsevier)
Graduate Students:
Yussef Al Tamimi, Yale University
Joosje Bleeker, University of California – Santa Cruz
Georgina Booth, Columbia University
Sjoukje IJlstra, Harvard University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Justin Lindeboom, Harvard University
Lise Mitsinga, Columbia University (sponsored by the Netherland-America Foundation)
Inge Oosterhoff, New York University
Jeffrey Sprong, Yale University
75 Years of Global Impact
In 2021, we celebrate the Fulbright Program’s history of positive impact on the lives of individuals as well as on global and local communities. We look forward to the next 75 years of Fulbrighters enriching their educations, advancing their careers, and making meaningful contributions to society.
Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program now operates in 160 countries and has provided over 400,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and in all fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to complex global challenges.
Fulbright alumni overwhelmingly indicate that their participation expanded their knowledge and understanding of their academic fields and resulted in real-world research applications. An alumni survey of 2005-2015 Fulbright U.S. Scholars found that 88 percent of respondents reported that they were exposed to new ideas and concepts in their field as a result of their Fulbright exchange experience, and 90 percent reported gaining a deeper understanding of their discipline and research area.
Visit the Fulbright 75th Anniversary website for more information and upcoming events.