News Release: PGCPS High School Science Teacher Receives Fulbright Award

October 19, 2022
For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) educator Dr. Chidi Duru, a teacher and Science Department Chair at Crossland High School, has earned a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program award from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

“The Fulbright program will potentially help my students to gain a better appreciation of other cultures and acquire the global competencies and crucial critical thinking skills needed to thrive in the 21st Century,” said Dr. Duru. “I tell my students to hold their heads high because they are as good as any students anywhere. I am eager to demonstrate this to them as they interact with students from across the United States and around the world.”

An 18-year PGCPS educator and National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT), Duru is a mentor to new NBCT candidates, a member of his school leadership team, professional development facilitator for PGCPS, and presenter at national conferences.

“Dr. Duru has represented Crossland for many years in the science community, and I'm proud of him as a colleague and member of the Crossland family,” said Principal Dr. Michael Gilchrist.  “He will continue to impact our community as a leader and our students are blessed to have him.”

As a Fulbright recipient, Duru will join a network of thousands of esteemed scholars and leaders in their fields. Fulbright alumni include 60 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, and 40 who have served as a head of state or government. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars and educators to their school or campus and encouraging their colleagues and students to go abroad. 

“I am so proud of this prestigious achievement that will offer unique opportunities and connections to impact not only students who pass through Dr. Duru’s classroom, but students across the nation and globe,” said Dr. Monica Goldson, PGCPS Chief Executive Officer. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. For over 75 years, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants – chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential – with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright.

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