I don’t believe in regrets because everything happens for a reason. 

• I was destined to be born on the campus of Florida A&M University to a queen who has guided my life journey with prayers and an unshakeable belief in God’s grace. 
• I was supposed to be impeached as the President of the Fraternity Council, an act of self-governance I didn’t agree with, yet helped awaken my life’s purpose. 
• I never wanted to attend Ohio State, though I was placed there to learn more about what it means to attend AND lead at a public, land-grant, flagship institution.

And still – my only regret was not studying abroad during my undergraduate experience. 

For 9 years, I carried this “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” mindset as I entered new work environments, applied to my PhD program, and of course – visited countless breweries across the United States. And then finally, it happened. 

In Spring 2021, I took a class with Dr. Taylor Woodman entitled, “International Education and Cultural Exchange: Policies and Practices . Each week we tackled new topics related to public and academic diplomacy, internationalization of higher education, and current issues (and future opportunities) within international education and cultural exchange. The curriculum was flawless, and more importantly, introduced me to The United States Fulbright Program. 

Facilitated through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural exchange, The Fulbright Program is dedicated to improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and global competence between the U.S. and other countries through education – more specifically the exchange of people, knowledge, and skills. I was immediately drawn to Fulbright because of my deliberate focus on enhancing the experiences of international college athletes in U.S. higher education. After doing more research on the program, I realized that becoming a Fulbrighter is extremely competitive and my odds of earning a Fulbright hovered around 20%, at least that’s what Google says. 

So I started to manifest.

I will be a Fulbright scholar. 

I will be a Fulbright scholar. 

I will be a Fulbright scholar. 

After hearing Dr. Blake Banner speak last week, I learned that these were not manifestations. Instead these were half-hearted wishes.

Manifestation is a powerful practice that requires deliberate attention to self-love, focus, and, and discipline. According to Dr. Banner, the practice of manifestation asks me to be clear about what I want, unapologetically investing in myself, and co-creating with the universe. Accountability partners and SMART goals are great, but they are ineffective if I am not loud about the things I care about and make decisions aligned with what I have already claimed for myself to be true. 

I am a Fulbright scholar. 

I am a Fulbright scholar. 

I am a Fulbright scholar. 

This is my mindset. This is my manifestation. This is my walk. 

My life story is a testimony of how I beat the odds. Pursuing Fulbright is just another test. 

My name is Timothy F. Bryson and I am a Black millennial educator. My mission is to help all people identify their passion, inspire vision, and walk in their evolving purpose. Since launching Walk With TFB, many people have asked what the “F” stands for in my name.

The F stands for Fulbright. 

Let’s walk!

Future Dr. TFB