Amela Malkic Named President of Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association

University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Director of Global Engagement Amela Malkic has been named president of the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association. Malkic’s term officially began July 1, 2019, and will last three years.

She previously served as board member and vice president for the chapter, one of 54 in 38 states serving as a regional extension of the Fulbright Association, an independent, non-profit membership organization for U.S. alumni of the Fulbright Program. Fulbright’s goal is to improve intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of individuals, knowledge and skills.

“I am very excited about this new role, and one of my primary goals will be to focus on advocacy,” Malkic said. “Fulbright is America’s flagship international exchange program, and now more than ever we need support and funding for the program. Therefore, we will be advocating for Fulbright and collaborating with the National Fulbright Association in Washington, D.C. We also plan to work locally in our mid-Florida region to further engage our members in promoting Fulbright and its values.”

USFSM Regional Chancellor Karen A. Holbrook, PhD, said Malkic’s new role reflects her commitment to the value of international education.
“We are delighted that Amela Malkic has assumed the leadership of the Mid-Florida Chapter of the Fulbright Association,” Holbrook said. “Fulbright is a 73-year old program, established by Congress, now flourishing in 160 countries for the purpose of exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, teaching and conducting research. Amela has a passion for connecting international students, visiting scholars and faculty with USFSM students, faculty and staff and seeks to infuse this enthusiasm in our students to gain an international experience that will change their lives forever to become global citizens.”

Malkic has worked closely over the past few years with outgoing president Darlene DeMarie, PhD, an associate professor of educational psychology and USF’s Fulbright faculty advisor.
“It goes without saying that I am grateful for the mentorship and support Darlene has provided,” Malkic said. “Darlene has always been an avid Fulbright supporter and her leadership and hard work have been exemplary. I appreciated Darlene’s advice both as a fellow Fulbrighter and a friend.”

Malkic this past spring spent two weeks in India through a grant from the Fulbright-Nehru International Education Administrators (IEA) program, which is designed to inform participants about the country’s higher education system and to explore opportunities for future collaboration.

She joined 13 other awardees from throughout the United States in visiting a diverse cross-section of universities and colleges, including the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai, the Foundation for Liberal and Management Education in Pune and the T-Hub, India’s fastest-growing startup incubator, based in Hyderabad.

Her Fulbright involvement aligns with Malkic’s work at USFSM, where her office facilitates study abroad programs, supports visiting scholars and students and manages institutional agreements with international partner universities.

Malkic has been professionally involved in international education for more than 15 years and has extensive experience in managing operational, fiscal, and administrative program needs.
For more information about USF Sarasota-Manatee, visit http://usfsm.edu/.