Historic Edition of the Fulbright Excellence Award
The Fulbright Commission Colombia’s annual gala, “A Night Full of Bright,” held at the U.S. Embassy Residence, served as the setting for an institutional milestone: the presentation of the 2026 Fulbright Excellence Awards.
Conoce AQUÍ la galería de fotos de la gala
Since its inception in 2007, this award has been the highest honor bestowed annually by the Commission on former Colombian scholarship recipients for their exceptional careers, academic rigor, and contributions to the country’s development. After having honored former presidents, ministers, and high-ranking government officials in previous years, this year’s ceremony changed its traditional format—which had awarded a single distinction per year—to present five awards in strategic areas, reflecting the diversity and depth of the impact of our Fulbright Alumni network.
Stewart Tuttle, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, introduced the Fulbright Excellence Awards
Five perspectives, one shared goal of transformation
This historic edition reaffirms the philosophy of our manifesto: “We are full of people meant to build a brighter future.” The 2026 honorees embody the essence of the Outbound programs: brilliant minds who took Colombian talent to the United States and returned home to lead lasting cultural, scientific, business, and social change.
The award was presented in the following five strategic categories:
🎖️En la categoría Cultural and Artistic Advocacy: Leila Cobo, Chief Content Officer, en Billboard.
🎖️In the Social and Territorial Development category: Natalia Ocampo Díaz, Head of Sustainability at Crepes & Waffles.
🎖️In the Governance and Democracy category: Juanita Goebertus Estrada, Director of the Americas Division at Human Rights Watch.
🎖️In the Innovation in Education category: Juliana Salazar Borda, Principal of the Buckingham School.
🎖️In the Transformative Business Leadership category: Juan Carlos Mora Uribe, President of Bancolombia.
A Legacy of Lasting Connections
Our Fulbright Excellence Award not only honors individual achievements but also highlights the social return on investment that educational exchanges represent. By linking academic excellence to Colombia’s most pressing challenges, our former fellows demonstrate that science diplomacy is a driving force for ongoing transformation.
“This year is very special for us, because we are celebrating 250 years of U.S. independence, and we have yet another reason to celebrate: five former Fulbright scholars are being honored with the Fulbright Award for Excellence in various categories for their leadership and outstanding contributions in areas critical to strengthening knowledge networks between our countries,” said Hugo Guevara, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Bogotá.