(left to right) UWindsor President Dr. J.J. McMurtry, Fulbright Canada Executive Director Michael Hawes, Fulbright Research Chair Dr. Vida Cross and UWindsor Vice-President Research and Innovation Dr. Shanthi Johnson. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)
By John-Paul Bonadonna
A new partnership between the University of Windsor and Fulbright Canada will bring leading American scholars to campus, enriching research and public dialogue across disciplines.
UWindsor President J.J McMurtry and President and CEO of the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States and Executive Director of Fulbright Canada, Michael Hawes, signed the agreement at an event held in the Black Scholars Institute Lounge on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizes the creation of Fulbright Research Chairs at UWindsor, positions that will host up to four visiting scholars each academic year.
“This is an important step forward for us,” said Dr. McMurtry.
“This partnership with Fulbright creates a powerful platform for scholars to collaborate with our researchers. The presence of these chairs brings distinguished scholars into our community and classrooms and creates opportunities for lectures, public engagement, and dialogue.”
The new Fulbright Chairs will spend a semester or longer at UWindsor, engaging in research, teaching and public engagement.
Each will work closely with University colleagues while contributing to the broader campus culture.
The initiative reflects UWindsor’s commitment to global engagement and to fostering research that crosses both disciplinary and national boundaries.
“Working across borders is more important than ever given the changing geopolitical landscape,” McMurtry added.
Hawes said the partnership underscores shared values between the two institutions.
“We share a continent, we share ideas, we share history,” he told attendees at Wednesday’s event.
“Now more than ever, we need to double down on collaboration and partnership to address the common challenges that face our nations and communities.”
Hawes emphasized Fulbright Canada’s guiding philosophy of “inclusive excellence,” noting that the program’s mission is to support scholars who push boundaries and seek to make meaningful contributions to society.
“We firmly believe in inclusive excellence. We want to find, reward and support that excellence,” he said.
“We operate on a few basic principles: excellence, inclusion and curiosity — curiosity about the subject you study, the community you live in and the challenges it faces.”
For UWindsor, the partnership opens new opportunities for collaboration across research, innovation, and cultural exchange.
“I can attest to the value it creates beyond the partnership,” said UWindsor’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Shanthi Johnson.
“The cross-community collaboration and the human-to-human connections it creates make this opportunity so much more than a research exchange.”
The event also welcomed UWindsor’s newest Fulbright Scholar, poet and educator Vida Cross, currently hosted by Leddy Library. Her work explores the intersections of art, culture, and historical record.
“I have been so comfortable here,” Cross shared.
“It is such a generous community space and exceeded my expectations.”
Under the agreement, UWindsor will provide support for each Fulbright Chair, while Fulbright Canada will coordinate recruitment, selection, and scholar services.
The MOU will remain in effect for three years, reinforcing a shared commitment to academic excellence and cross-border collaboration.