Fulbright Bulgaria

🌍🎓 Congratulations to Fulbright Visiting Scholar Assoc. Prof. Emil Mutafov on the successful completion of his Fulbright research stay at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln!

Assoc. Prof. Mutafov, from the Faculty of Economics at Trakia University in Stara Zagora (Тракийски Университет), spent the spring semester of the 2025-26 academic year in Lincoln, Nebraska, conducting research on the financial independence of local authorities, comparing models and practices in the United States and Bulgaria.

His Fulbright experience extended far beyond the classroom and research office. During his stay, Emil participated in the national Fulbright seminar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, commemorating two major milestones: the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 80th anniversary of the Fulbright Program. The event brought together more than 120 Fulbright grantees from around the world who were conducting research, teaching, and studying in the U.S. this year.

From Lincoln to Chicago and Philadelphia, Emil embraced every aspect of the exchange experience. Alongside his academic work, he explored American culture and community life, attended cultural events, played basketball, baked traditional Bulgarian Easter bread, and shared Bulgarian traditions with new friends and colleagues.

The highlight of his stay came last month with the presentation of his research findings, which was met with great interest and marked a successful culmination of months of dedicated work.

Emil's journey is a wonderful example of the Fulbright mission in action: advancing research, fostering international understanding, and building lasting connections between Bulgaria and the United States.

👏 Congratulations, Emil, and welcome back to Bulgaria!

🎧🌍 What does a city sound like? Fulbright student researcher James Kogan is helping answer that question in Dimitrovgrad.

In late April, James traded his kaba gaida practice sessions for a backpack full of microphones and recording equipment, embarking on a unique project to capture the sounds of Dimitrovgrad - from the flowing Maritsa River and birdsong to bustling markets, church services, and the everyday rhythms of city life.

These recordings will become part of an innovative immersive audio installation in the newly redesigned Dimitrovgrad History Museum, allowing visitors to experience the city's history and identity through sound. Using advanced spatial audio technology, the installation will bring Dimitrovgrad's past and present to life in a completely new way.

💬 “These representations of Dimitrovgrad will celebrate the city's storied past and vibrant present through its soundscapes, revealing both its ecological beauty and social richness,” James explains.

The museum redevelopment itself is a remarkable multidisciplinary effort and another example of Fulbright collaboration in action. The project is led by a team that includes Fulbright alumni Aneta Vasileva (architecture) and Velislava Petrova (anthropology), whose expertise helps shape a participatory, community-centered vision for the museum. Together, they are creating what will become the first museum in Bulgaria to tell the country's multilayered history through the lens of one of its youngest cities.

From architecture and anthropology to sound recording and immersive technology, this project demonstrates how Fulbright connections continue to spark innovative collaborations across disciplines, communities, and borders.

🌍✨ Some Fulbright connections never fade.
A few years after completing his Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Ruse (2021-22), Jason Entingh is back in Bulgaria reconnecting with former students, revisiting familiar places, and continuing to explore the country that left a lasting mark on him.

Reflecting on the impact of his Fulbright experience, Jason shares:

💬 “My year as a Fulbright ETA in Ruse gave me confidence in intercultural communication and practical experience with teaching.”

Since completing the program, Jason has built a career in applied social science and program evaluation, where the skills he developed in Bulgaria continue to serve him every day.

Now, accompanied by his girlfriend Elise, he is enjoying a return visit filled with reunions, memories, and new discoveries.

Jason's story is a reminder that Fulbright is more than a year abroad, it is a lifelong connection to people, places, and experiences that continue to shape our personal and professional journeys.

Welcome back to Bulgaria, Jason! 🇧🇬❤️

🎼✨ Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, international collaboration, and artistic inspiration at Sofia Music Weeks!

On June 9, conductor Virginia Atanassova - Fulbright alumna and organizer of this special event - will present a concert with chamber ensemble “Tutti Soli” as part of the 57th International Festival “Sofia Music Weeks”.

Virginia Atanassova was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1995-96 academic year, where she carried out research and lecturing activities. Today, she continues to build meaningful international cultural partnerships in Bulgaria through concerts, educational initiatives, and collaborations with artists from around the world.

This concert is also the result of her initiative to invite renowned American countertenor Nicholas Tamagna to Bulgaria. During his visit, Bulgarian and international performers will have the rare opportunity to participate in a masterclass with the acclaimed singer, whose career spans leading opera and concert stages worldwide.

🌍 The event brings together outstanding musicians from Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Austria, and the United States in a program dedicated to Western European Baroque music and “Harmony of the Spheres.”

📅 June 9 | 7:00 PM
📍 Central Military Club, Sofia

🎟 Tickets:
https://www.eventim.bg/event/57-%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D1%84-%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8-%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%BA%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B1-21650911/

👏 We are proud to see Fulbright alumni creating opportunities for artistic exchange, education, and international collaboration in Bulgaria.

🌍 Join our upcoming online information session about the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program - a unique fully funded opportunity for mid-career professionals to grow, connect, and gain experience in the United States.

✨ Learn more about:
• the structure of the program
• professional and academic opportunities
• eligibility requirements for the 2027-28 competition
• how the fellowship can expand your international network and leadership skills

Whether you work in public policy, media, law, public health, technology, education, or sustainable development, the Humphrey Fellowship offers a chance to broaden your perspective and exchange ideas with inspiring professionals from around the world.

📅 June 2
🕔 5:00 PM
💻 Online via Zoom
https://www.fulbright.bg/en/info-sessions-hubert-humphrey/

👉 Sign up and discover where the Humphrey Fellowship can take you!

🌍 Отвори конкурсът Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program!
Програмата е насочена към утвърдени професионалисти с над 5 години професионален опит, които искат да развият своите лидерски умения, експертиза и международни контакти в САЩ.

Стипендията предоставя възможност за професионално развитие и обмен на опит в области като:
• комуникации и журналистика
• право и управление
• политики за управление на природните ресурси
• публични и икономически политики
• политики и управление в общественото здраве
• политики и управление в областта на технологиите

✨ Програмата е напълно финансирана и съчетава академично обучение, професионални срещи на високо ниво и практически опит.

📌 Научете повече и кандидатствайте тук:
https://fulbright.bg/hubert-humphrey

🌄🍷 A memorable journey through Northwest Bulgaria! Last Friday, U.S. Fulbright scholars and student researchers explored the breathtaking Belogradchik Rocks and the nearby village of Borovitsa in a culturally enriching trip that combined history, nature, and local traditions.

Guided by Fulbright alumnus Rosen Potzkov, the group discovered the stories and legends surrounding the iconic Belogradchik Fortress and rock formations - one of Bulgaria’s most remarkable natural wonders. The experience offered not only spectacular views, but also a deeper historical perspective on the region and its cultural heritage.

The day continued with traditional Bulgarian cuisine in Belogradchik and a visit to Borovitsa Winery, where participants tasted local wines and enjoyed conversations inspired by the beauty and atmosphere of Northwest Bulgaria.

Experiences like these are an important part of the Fulbright journey - creating meaningful connections with local communities, history, and culture beyond the classroom and research environment. 🌍✨

🌍✨ “I am so excited to be back in Sofia, the city I love so dearly.” Four years after serving as a Fulbright ETA at Tsar Simeon Veliki and Asen Yordanov schools, Fulbright alumnus Giovanni Marc Gamalong has returned to Bulgaria with exciting new milestones to celebrate.

This month, Giovanni graduates from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and this July he will begin his orthopaedic surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

During his short visit to Sofia, he reunited with friends, former students, and the community that became such an important part of his Fulbright journey.

Giovanni’s story is a wonderful reminder that Fulbright is not only about academic and professional growth - it is also about the lasting human connections that continue to inspire long after the exchange ends. 🌉