COLUMBIA, SC – April 30, 2025, Political Science Professor Adrien M. Ratsimbaharison, Ph. D., was selected as a member of the South Carolina Fulbright Association Board of Directors on Thursday, April 15, during the Board of Directors meeting held on the campus of Benedict College. Upon receiving the appointment, Ratsimbaharison said, “It’s a coronation of my work as a scholar, as a researcher. But I’m not just a researcher, I’m also a faculty member that connects with students and other stakeholders. I think it is a coronation of 24 years of teaching, research and service on the college level.”
While his appointment to the Board of Directors is new, Ratsimbaharison is not a stranger to the Fulbright Program. In 1992 and in 2024, Ratsimbaharison, a native of the island of Madagascar, was awarded a Fulbright grant to conduct research. “I received the Fulbright grant twice. First as a student to come to the U.S. and complete my graduate studies in political science at the University of South Carolina, and then as a faculty member at Benedict College to conduct research in Madagascar,” says Ratsimbaharison. Following a Fulbright Association Board of
Directors meeting in February 2025 at Benedict, Ratsimbaharison introduced himself and shared his history with the Fulbright scholarship members of the Board. He said, “A few weeks after the meeting, I received an email indicating the Board’s interest in nominating me as a new member, if I would accept, and I said, ‘I accept enthusiastically.’”
Interim Dean of the School of Communication, Art and Social Science Leon Geter, Ph. D., praises Ratsimbaharison for his exceptional leadership and scholarship. Geter says, “Adrien Ratsimbaharison’s appointment to the South Carolina Fulbright Association Board of Directors reflects his exceptional commitment to advancing global education and fostering meaningful international partnerships. His expertise and dedication are invaluable assets to this esteemed organization. Dr. Ratsimbaharison has been an invaluable asset to Benedict College, where his leadership, scholarly contributions, and mentorship have profoundly shaped our academic community. His dedication to promoting intellectual rigor and fostering a spirit of innovation has uplifted both his colleagues and students, leaving an indelible impact on our institution.”
After completion of this doctorate from the University of South Carolina in 1999, Ratsimbaharison was a faculty member and department chair at Allen University for 11 years. In 2010, Ratsimbaharison began teaching political science at Benedict and continuing his scholarship. “As a Fulbright, you have to do research and that’s what I have done since my initial faculty position at Allen. I continue to do research and so far, I have published 2 books, 2 book chapters, and 11 peer-reviewed journal articles. ”As an official member of the Fulbright Association Board of Directors, Ratsimbaharison plans to host meetings to encourage faculty and students to find different Fulbright grants to apply for and develop research proposals that can be funded.
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About Benedict College (www.benedict.edu) Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from several counties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program in celebration of an HBCU that achieved next-level performance. Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and was listed among the top half of ranked HBCUs in the 2022 edition of Best Colleges by US News and World Report.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
