On September 16, 2011, four new Board Members were sworn in by Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Ann Stock. The Board welcomed Tom Healy of New York, Susan Ness of Maryland, Betty Castor of Florida and Ambassador Gabriel Guerra-Mondragón of New York.

A highlight of the meeting was a report by Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Ann Stock. Ms. Stock discussed her new role as Acting Under Secretary, where she leads Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs for the State Department.

FSB Chair Anita McBride welcomed the four new Members of the Board and expressed heartfelt thanks to the four departing members, Jan D. O’Neill, John W. Johnson, Robert D. McCallum and Dina H. Powell, noting that O’Neill and Johnson each served ten years on the Board. The Board heard from J. Adam Ereli, Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Board also heard from the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs.

After lunch, the Board heard from the Senior Director of International and Foreign Language Education in the Office of Postsecondary Education, who reported on the impact of budget cuts to the Fulbright-Hays Program. Then a Program Officer from International and Foreign Language Education in the Office of Postsecondary Education briefed the Board on the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program and introduced a panel of three alumni, who then shared their experiences with the Board.