More than 70 high school students from across the Little Rock School District gathered at the Clinton Presidential Center for the second annual Fulbright Youth Summit: Pathways to Global Citizenship.
Designed to expand horizons and make international education accessible, the event brought together local youth and exchange alumni to explore study abroad programs, international career pathways, and global public service.
A dedicated contingent of a dozen Clinton School of Public Service students and alumni served as key volunteers and mentors throughout the day. From serving as table moderators during interactive small-group discussions to presenting on featured alumni panels to photographing the event, the Clinton School community helped local high schoolers see themselves as future global scholars.
“The Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association deeply values our partnership with the Clinton School,” said DeDe Long, Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association Board Member. “It is a gift to be able to tap the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of their graduate students to inspire area high school students to expand their horizons and opportunities through international educational exchange.”
Clinton School students who volunteered include Justice Anderson, Daniella Ayala, Eleanor Barker, Grace Carmack, Cheyanne Davis, Carly Jo Riggins, Niki Brunson Saunders, Nugget Settles, and Madison Tucker alongside alumni Jalen Humphreys (’26) and Brighton Huynh (’25).
The summit kicked off with opening remarks from Karen Strachan, Educational Programs Manager at the Clinton Presidential Center, and Leland Lazarus, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Fulbright Association.
Following the welcome, Camille Purvis Dawson, Principal Deputy Secretary in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Global Public Affairs, moderated a panel titled “What Made Me Decide to Go Abroad?” Panelists included Clinton School alumnus Jalen Humphreys (’26), who shared insights from his International Public Service Project in Mexico, and Evanna Ojeda (’25), Director of International Programs at the Clinton School and Board Member for the Arkansas Chapter of the Fulbright Association, who highlighted her experiences as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Spain, a Peace Corps volunteer in the Commonwealth of Dominica, and International Public Service Project in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
“I was a high school student sitting in a scholarship information session when I first learned about global exchange opportunities like Fulbright,” Ojeda said. “Sitting on the other side of the room, sharing my own international journey with these students, truly felt like a full-circle moment. I want to give a very special thanks to DeDe Long, Dr. Laurence Hare, and Jalen Humphreys for organizing this event and bringing the Clinton School into this shared space.”
Following the panel, students transitioned into small-group sessions titled “Keep Calm and Carry On Luggage,” moderated by Dr. Laurence Hare, Associate Dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Clinton School students guided conversations at individual tables, sharing personal travel experiences, showing study-abroad materials, and answering questions about international service pathways.
“This event was a rewarding learning exchange with young people to think beyond their immediate surroundings and consider international education, public service, and diplomacy,” said Niki Brunson Saunders, a Clinton School student from Jacksonville, Florida, “I appreciated sharing personal experiences while listening to students describe their interests and goals.”
Brunson Saunders facilitated a discussion with seven students representing various Little Rock high schools. She shared her passport and brought her travels to Japan, Egypt, and several Caribbean islands into the conversation to demonstrate how travel and public service expand global perspective.
“One student expressed an interest in international hospitality,” Brunson Saunders said. “She was excited to learn about service pathways through AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, as well as opportunities for eligible service to receive presidential recognition.”
Fellow Clinton School student volunteer Daniella Ayala, of Rogers, Arkansas, emphasized the value of bringing study-abroad resources directly to students.
“I really enjoyed volunteering at this event and getting to talk with the teens,” Ayala said. “The students were engaged and asked a lot of questions about the living abroad portion. They seemed to get more and more excited by the minute and really wanted to know all about studying abroad.”
Ayala reflected on the summit’s broader influence on the Little Rock community, highlighting how seeing relatable mentors removes perceived barriers to international travel.
“As a teen, it may be intimidating to ask a counselor or even begin to find who to ask, so I think this event helped bring the resources to them in a more casual, approachable way,” Ayala explained. “By being able to talk to students about our personal experiences, it excites them for the opportunities they can have in the future.”
The summit concluded with a resource fair and lunch, leaving participants with actionable pathways, new connections, and a broader vision for their future study abroad opportunities.