"From the beginning, my hope with the Fulbright exchanges was to generate a deeper understanding -- especially on the part of potential leaders -- of the differing cultures and peoples of the world."

-- U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright

Many people from Northwest Arkansas or who have passed through the region have undoubtedly had a major impact on the nation and world in many different ways.

Bill and Hillary Clinton. Sam Walton. E. Fay Jones. Don Tyson. Louise Thaden. A list of world-changing people from our corner of the state can go on and on, but one name has earned a designation as an international mover and shaker in life and in the years after his death.

He's J. William Fulbright. And President Obama wants to devote less money to Fulbright's namesake program devoted to forging improved international relations.

In 2014, it sure seems the Fulbright goal should be valued, and the successful program isn't the place for the president to start carving out whatever his own legacy might become.

Fulbright was, of course, a U.S. senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975. He was a powerful force in Washington, D.C., largely as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He gained widespread attention for his opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War. He was a strong advocate for the United Nations. But his longest-lasting, and far-reaching, impact came in the realm of international relations through his sponsorship of the legislation to create an international exchange program that bears his name.

The Fulbright Program became the United States government's flagship international exchange to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. It provides grants to send U.S. citizens abroad to study, teach and conduct research. It does the same thing for people in other countries to come to the U.S. The idea is, simply, to foster a better understanding of the different cultures, people and issues around the world. More than 300,000 Fulbright scholars have participated in exchanges that broaden understanding about the many cultures around the world.

The federal government funds the Fulbright Program to the tune of $235 million a year. That is, until President Obama gets hold of it.

The president's 2015 budget proposal suggests a $30 million cut in Fulbright funding to create his own new outreach initiatives for Asia and Africa. It may be the first step in dismantling a program that has worked well and is respected around the world in favor of new programs designed by the Obama administration.

Our recommendation is to let a successful program continue. We join the alumni and supporters of the program who have undertaken a "Save Fulbright" campaign. There is no sense in dismantling a renowned program that has bolstered international understanding for nearly 70 years to fund start-ups with no track record.

It certainly seems the United States would want to take advantage of the Fulbright Program's strength and reputation in the 21st century, not step back from it. The funding of this program is a relative drop in the bucket of national expenditures, so why start hacking away at the relatively meager spending to foster cross-cultural understanding?

The Fulbright Program is money well spent. The nation should continue its reasonable investment.