The University of Akron (UA) hosted more than 40 Fulbright alumni, students and community partners for an event to connect, exchange ideas and learn about UA’s global engagement efforts.

Dr. Sydney Chinchanachokchai, an associate professor of marketing in the University’s College of Business and a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recipient, organized the event, which was held on April 25 at UA’s Cummings Center for the History of Psychology.

The program featured Dr. Jennifer Bazar, assistant director of the Cummings Center, who discussed the center’s mission, museum collections and engagement with international Fulbright scholars. Dr. Evelyn Williams from Global Ties Akron presented on the organization’s mission to connect the world and invited future opportunities for collaboration.

Dr. Gwen Price, UA’s senior vice president and provost, welcomed participants to the UA campus and emphasized the importance of global engagement. Marty Bennett, the director of international recruitment and engagement at UA, discussed the University’s global engagement mission, international recruiting efforts and representation around the world.

Two international Fulbright scholars also spoke at the event. Dr. Mauricio Chaparro-Solano, a medical geneticist at Case Western Reserve University who is from Colombia, and Axel Ortega Guevara ’26, who received a Fulbright award from Nicaragua to study and earn his MBA in the College of Business, shared their experiences as Fulbrighters in the U.S.

“Their personal stories added an important dimension to the program and were very well received by participants,” said Chinchanachokchai, who conducted marketing research and taught seminars on advertising and marketing at Escola Superior de Comunicação Social of Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa in Portugal.

The event concluded with remarks from Dean Terry Daugherty of the College of Business, who thanked the attendees for coming to Akron and participating in the program.

“Overall, it was a meaningful day for Fulbright scholars and alumni in Northeast Ohio to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from one another,” Chinchanachokchai said. “I am proud to have organized this event to bring people to the UA campus and grateful for the strong campus collaboration that helped make it successful. Participants shared very positive feedback and noted that the event was well organized and well run. The Fulbright Association Northeast Ohio Chapter board also shared that this was one of the most successful and well-attended events the chapter has hosted.”

The event was organized in collaboration with the Fulbright Association Northeast Ohio Chapter, the University of Akron International Center and the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology, with support from the College of Business, the UA Alumni Association and Global Ties Akron.

Media contact: media@uakron.edu