80th Anniversary · 1946–2026
80th Anniversary · 1946–2026
The Fulbright Association of Costa Rica joins the Fulbright community worldwide to celebrate 80 years of the Fulbright Program. We will bring together Fulbright alumni, scholars, and supporters to continue honoring Senator Fulbright’s ideals of fostering academic excellence, mutual understanding, and peace through international educational exchanges.
Since the inception of the Fulbright Program in 1946, Fulbrighters worldwide have made a significant impact in their fields. The program is now present in more than 160 countries and territories. In Costa Rica, the Fulbright community has left an indelible mark on the scientific, educational, cultural, and political arenas, living up to Senator Fulbright’s ideal of building a brighter future for all through educational exchange.
This event is an extraordinary opportunity to bring Fulbrighters together: to reminisce about fruitful past experiences, strengthen alliances in the present, and build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous future for generations to come through the educational exchanges and initiatives led by the Fulbright Alumni.
The celebration opens with remarks from Fulbright Costa Rica leadership and a keynote presentation from international speaker Karla Arosemena, followed by a Q&A and networking reception.
Karla Arosemena is Director of Innovation and Educational Technology and an Associate Professor in the Software Engineering Department at the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá. She holds a Master’s in Information Technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and specializes in human-computer interaction, user-centered design, and educational technology.
“The Fulbright Footprint” — an evening of testimonials from Costa Rican Fulbright alumni — former President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, Allen Quesada, and Felipe Mejía — alongside the evening’s one featured lecture, from paper specialist Tim Barrett, director emeritus of the University of Iowa Center for the Book.
Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera served as President of Costa Rica from 2014 to 2018 and is a Fulbright Scholar from the University of Michigan.
Allen Quesada-Pacheco is Director of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Costa Rica and a two-time Fulbright Scholar.
Felipe Mejía is a Senior Software Engineer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a Fulbright Scholar with an MS in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Join Tim Barrett as he describes the important lessons he learned while studying traditional papermaking in Japan between 1975 and 1977. Barrett will share the story of how his Fulbright experience eventually led to his team at the University of Iowa being commissioned to make the paper that sits beneath the Charters of Freedom at the National Archives Rotunda in Washington, D.C. He will conclude with his personal reflections on why the Fulbright Program is essential to international understanding and peace.
Barrett is the author of three books and 37 articles on the history, technique, and aesthetics of hand papermaking. His work has been supported by grants from the Kress Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and in 2009, a MacArthur Fellowship.
An evening gala celebrating Fulbright’s 80th anniversary, with remarks from Fulbright Costa Rica leadership and U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Melinda Hildebrand, cultural presentations, and the recognition of the 2026 Fulbrighter of the Year.
The Fulbright Board of Directors will open a canvas photo gallery of iconic images showcasing Fulbright’s impact in Costa Rica through the years — an itinerant exhibition that will also travel to Universidad Nacional, Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, AFS, and other institutions.
Earlier that day, paper specialist Tim Barrett will lead a hands-on conservation workshop with the National Library’s restoration team.
A day of workshops and knowledge-sharing led by Fulbright alumni and visiting scholars.
Cynthia N. Kuhrasch, M.S. is a Physical Education Teacher Educator, Leadership Facilitator, Experiential Education Specialist, and Curriculum Designer. She is Distinguished Teaching Faculty Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an instructor at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
Felipe Mejía is a Senior Software Engineer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a Fulbright Scholar with an MS in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His work spans embedded systems and AI, and he volunteers teaching technology to girls and women across Costa Rica.
Allen Quesada-Pacheco is Director of the School of Modern Languages at the University of Costa Rica and a two-time Fulbright Scholar. His research focuses on AI in language education, and he created CyberlabKIDS and CyberlabTEENS, platforms now used by learners in more than 120 countries.
Follow the new Costa Rica Fulbright Alumni Association on LinkedIn for updates, event recaps, and ways to get involved.
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