June 7, 2022 – Marist College’s Dean of International Programs has been selected as a 2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. International Educator Award recipient. This highly-competitive award will give Dr. Peters the opportunity to travel to Paris and Nantes, France in October to meet with French government and education officials to help develop relationships between U.S. and French educational institutions.

Dr. Peters has served as Dean of International Programs at Marist since 2009, and has been involved in international education throughout his career, with experience in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas. During his time in France this fall, Dr. Peters will meet with government and education officials, tour several universities and other educational institutions, and participate in a group seminar designed to familiarize U.S. higher education administrators with the French higher education system.

“Marist students are increasingly interested in studying abroad in France, and I’m extremely grateful to Fulbright for the opportunity to meet with leading French educational institutions to further develop programs for our students,” Dr. Peters said. “I’m equally excited by the opportunity to develop new exchange relationships with French universities, which will help us to enroll more French students at the Marist home campus.” 

Fulbright IEA seminars are designed to help U.S. international education professionals and senior higher education officials create connections with their counterparts and higher education systems of other countries. Those selected have the opportunity to learn about the host country’s education system as well as establish networks over the course of two weeks.

The Fulbright Scholar Program, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, funds activities and projects that recognize and promote the relationship between educational exchange and international understanding, in addition to the merit of the proposals.

“Congratulations to Dr. Peters on receiving the prestigious Fulbright U.S. International Educator Award,” said Dr. Thomas Wermuth, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at Marist. “This opportunity will surely deepen Marist’s ties with the international academic community, further enhancing our already top ranked program. John continues to be an exceptional advocate and champion for study abroad experiences,” he said.

“The only downside is I have to wait until October to participate in the program!” jokes Dr. Peters. “I’m really looking forward to representing Marist and building new connections and partnerships that will help to strengthen the College and offer new opportunities for students both abroad and at home.”

Marist Abroad offers a variety of study abroad experiences, with program offerings on six continents. Marist offers semester, full academic year, winter, summer, and short-term faculty-led study abroad programs, enabling students of any major to study internationally and graduate according to their planned schedule. The program is ranked second in the nation among master's-granting institutions for semester and academic-year abroad as well as total number of students studying abroad in the most recent Institute of International Education’s “Open Doors Report” and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for the College’s Freshman Year Abroad programs Italy and Ireland.