Kansas City Art Institute becomes first art college in Mo. to earn Fulbright honor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City Art Institute has become the first arts college in Missouri to be named a Fulbright Top Producer as two more faculty members continue overseas research.

The Kansas City Art Institute announced on Thursday, Feb. 22, that it has been recognized as a Fulbright Top Producer by the U.S. Dept. of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. KCAI was honored for being a college or university with the highest number of faculty and administrators chosen for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

KCAI noted that two scholars were also chosen for Fulbright awards for the 2023-24 academic year. It has become the first art college in Missouri to hold the title and joins an illustrious list of higher education institutions that value global connection.

“Fulbright’s Top Producing Institutions represent the diversity of America’s higher education community. Dedicated administrators support students and scholars at these institutions to fulfill their potential and rise to address tomorrow’s global challenges. We congratulate them and all the Fulbrighters who are making an impact the world over,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.

KCAI indicated that the two scholars include Laura Berman who will study in Australia and Cyrus Console-Soican who will study in Romania. Berman is a faculty member in the Printmaking Department and recently began work at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research at the University of Canberra to research the materials she works with and the stories they tell.

“Receiving a Fulbright is the pinnacle of an artist’s career, and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to do my research through a new cultural lens,” Berman said.

Meanwhile, the Institute said Console-Soican is a professor in the Liberal Arts Dept. and has spent the current academic year writing and translating contemporary Romanian poets and teaching at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University.

“The Fulbright Award is an opportunity to build cultural bridges between the U.S. and Romania generally, and between KCAI and UAIC specifically. I’m excited to represent the Kansas City Art Institute and the American literary community as part of the U.S. Scholar program,” Console-Soican said.

KCAI noted that the program offers more than 400 awards in more than 135 counties for U.S. citizens to teach, research and carry out professional projects around the globe.

“Fulbright Awards are incredibly prestigious and having two faculty members from KCAI being chosen is a testament to the talent, creativity, and commitment of our faculty. Experiences like this stretch the conventions of traditional learning and allow scholars to bring back new knowledge, techniques, and connections to benefit our students. Recognition as a Fulbright Top Producer is an honor and a true testament to the caliber of faculty we have at KCAI,” Allison Puff, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs at KCAI said.

KCAI said it is committed to artistic excellence and international learning.