This memory was written by a former Board Member of the NC Chapter of the Fulbright Association, Dr. Robert George. Bob is currently the Advocacy Director for our NC Chapter. (Photo of Harriet Fulbright courtesy of the Fulbright Association.)
Let me share with you all my tribute to Harriet Fulbright who now joined her husband Senator William Fulbright in a better world than the one we now live today with an array of international problems that Harriet championed to fight to improve. I will share with you briefly my encounters with Harriet, with pleasant recollections:
- I first visited Harriet in her office as director of the Fulbright Association. Harriet encouraged me with her extraordinary enthusiasm and was instrumental in my plans to apply or a Fulbright Professor ship to India.
- I met Harriet when Fulbright Board Member Eric Howard initiated a plan to resign from the board to start the Fulbright Academy of Science. Harriet was not in favor of the Fulbright Academy. I served on the Fulbright Academy for 2 years, which eventually dissolved.
- Harriet invited me to her house and then for a dinner in Baltimore to discuss ideas to promote the Fulbright Association. Her dedication to the Fulbright Program was really outstanding.
- My most memorable meeting with Harriet was at the Fulbright International Peace Conference in Budapest, Hungary. I met her along with the 39th President of the USA Jimmy Carter, who was the keynote speaker. We discussed how important the vision of Senator Fulbright was. Carter proudly told us about his giving the key to the Panama Canal to Panama to encourage the economy of this developing nation in Central America.
- I met Harriet briefly when I was in the State Department when South African leader Nelson Mandela was presented with the Fulbright Prize.
- The last time I met her was at the Washington DC Fulbright Annual meeting where I organized a workshop on “Higher Education, Economy, and Environment in Crisis in USA.” Her health was then not good and she looked weak.
We will remember Harriet Fulbright for her grace and dedication to the Fulbright mission for international understanding.
Robert Y. George, Ph.D., President and CEO, George Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability