The Fulbright Program, a cornerstone of international academic exchange since 1946, continues to shape lives and foster cross-cultural understanding in ways that are both deeply personal and globally significant. Two recent stories—one rooted in the heart of Israel and the other unfolding in South Africa—illustrate the profound ripple effects of this storied initiative, revealing how Fulbright scholars carry home more than just academic credentials: they return with new identities, unexpected connections, and a drive to spark change.
For one American family, a two-year Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship in Israel became much more than an academic adventure. The author, who arrived in Haifa with his wife and three young children, quickly found himself immersed in a tapestry of local and global experiences. According to his own account, he befriended engineers in bustling startups, attended an Arab Christian wedding in Nazareth, and shared wine with an Iraqi Jewish friend in the Upper Galilee. Over time, his children—learning Hebrew and soaking up Jewish customs—began to see themselves as both Jewish and Israeli, a testament to how powerfully living abroad can shape young minds.
When the family returned to the United States in June 2023, the transition proved unexpectedly wrenching. Two of the three girls cried, asking why they couldn’t stay in Israel, why they weren’t Jewish, and why they couldn’t be Israeli. Their heartbreak mirrored their parents’ own longing to remain, a feeling that only deepened in the wake of the traumatic events of October 7, 2023. As the author describes, "For weeks and months, I struggled to unstick myself from the news, crawl out of bed, and figure out how to work." The sense of communal trauma he experienced was as real for him—a non-Jewish, non-citizen visitor—as it was for the Israeli friends and neighbors he left behind.
Yet, amid the sorrow, there was solidarity and validation. A Jewish friend’s words offered comfort: she understood and appreciated his feelings of loss and connection. That recognition, he writes, allowed him to realize that he, too, had come to feel Israeli during his time abroad. The family’s bond with Israel endures in the small rituals they brought home: lighting Hanukkah candles, singing the dreidel song, and reading from Isaac Bashevis Singer’s The Power of Light—a cherished gift from a friend. These traditions, he says, serve as "a light to my family’s steps, one always burning, even amidst immense difficulties these last years."
Now, as President of the Fulbright Israel Interest Group, he works to promote deeper cultural and academic ties, drawing on his own transformative experience. The group, composed of Fulbright alumni, shares stories and hosts programming that keeps the spirit of international exchange alive. "Even better than the academic programming we host are the monthly stories I hear from Fulbright scholars with experiences just like mine," he reflects, underscoring the enduring impact of the Fulbright mission.
Thousands of miles away in Johannesburg, South Africa, another Fulbright journey is underway—this one led by Dr. Shonda McLaughlin, an Independent Scholar and founder of The Vocational Rehab Academy LLC. Awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program grant in Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Disability Studies for the 2025-2026 academic year, Dr. McLaughlin has brought her expertise and determination to the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus, where she is working to advance dignity and opportunity for people with disabilities.
With more than twenty years of experience in the field and as a person who uses a wheelchair herself, Dr. McLaughlin’s commitment is both professional and deeply personal. "As a professional and a person with a disability who uses a wheelchair, this work is both personal and purposeful," she told the University of Johannesburg News. Her choice of South Africa was no accident; inspired by the country’s legacy of struggle and resilience, she recalled, "As an undergraduate, I once wrote a paper on apartheid and studied Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, which is one of the reasons I chose UJ. To now conduct this work in South Africa, where their fight for dignity and equality began, is humbling and surreal."
Dr. McLaughlin’s Fulbright project is ambitious and multi-faceted. She aims to build authentic relationships that transcend her time in South Africa, focusing on the intersectionality of disability with economic and educational contributions. Among her planned initiatives: developing short-learning programs for students, educators, and employers to promote inclusive employment—especially for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and Down Syndrome. She and her collaborators in the Department of Educational Psychology and the Centre for Neurodiversity are piloting a program to employ students and graduates with disabilities, with hopes of scaling it across the campus.
Her community engagement doesn’t stop at program design. Dr. McLaughlin is actively guest lecturing and assisting in classes at UJ Soweto, where the local history of leadership and advocacy is never far from her mind. "Being in Soweto, I always think about leadership and advocacy due to its history," she noted. Her work seeks to shift global perspectives, challenging the stigma that often surrounds disability. "Visibility matters, especially for people with disabilities. When we are seen participating fully in classrooms, communities, and leadership spaces it helps dismantle stigma and may, hopefully, inspire the next generation of youth with disabilities and their families," she explained. Ultimately, she hopes to demonstrate that employing people with disabilities "should be natural, not exceptional," echoing UJ’s broader mission of transformation and inclusion.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, administered by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education, supports more than 800 scholars each year in research and teaching abroad. As UJ News reported on November 10, 2025, Fulbright scholars like Dr. McLaughlin engage in cutting-edge research, expand their professional networks, and return home with international insights that enrich their communities. The program’s legacy is evident not only in the academic and professional achievements of its alumni but also in the lasting personal and cultural bonds they forge.
Both stories—one of a family forever changed by their time in Israel, the other of a scholar working to transform disability inclusion in South Africa—highlight the enduring power of the Fulbright Program to bridge divides, foster empathy, and inspire action. Whether through the quiet glow of Hanukkah candles or the bold advocacy for equity on a university campus, these Fulbright journeys remind us that the light of international exchange continues to burn brightly, guiding individuals and communities toward greater understanding and hope.
