Jonathan Chilcote, Ph.D., earned his doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 2016 and currently serves as an Associate Professor of History at Florida College in Tampa, Florida. His teaching focuses on U.S. foreign relations, while his research and publications explore global health issues and international relations. Dr. Chilcote has presented his research at conferences in several countries, contributing to scholarly discussions on these topics.

We asked Jonathan Chilcote, Ph.D., about his experience in Slovakia through the Fulbright Program. Here are his responses:

• How did you find out about the opportunity to receive a Fulbright scholarship? 

Many years ago, in my first course as a graduate student, the professor mentioned how he had done three Fulbright scholarships. He was nearing retirement and had achieved every academic accomplishment during his career, but by the way he spoke about his Fulbright experiences it wasclear that he believed they were the best experiences of his life. I have never forgotten how he talked about the transformational effects of Fulbright scholarships, and I also wanted that.  

• How did you come up with the idea of applying for a Fulbright scholarship? 

I had wanted to apply for several years, but there was always something that prevented me. A few years ago I knew that I had a sabbatical leave coming up and my children were reaching an age where an international stay was possible. So, I decided that I should apply for the program, even ifI was not immediately accepted. Completing the application was a big step, but I was determined to at least try.   

• Why did an academic at the University of Tampa, who specializes in U.S. history, choose Slovakia and Banská Bystrica? 

After researching potential host countries, I quickly decided that I wanted to come to Slovakia. One of the biggest reasons for this was that I realized how little I knew about the region and its impact on U.S. history. The region of Central Europe – and especially Slovakia – is understudied amongU.S. scholars, but strong connections link our countries and cultures, and they need examination. Americans need better understanding because the United States is increasingly involved, in a variety of ways, with the region and that is likely to continue. 

Banská Bystrica, is, in my opinion, the best location in Slovakia. I know I am biased but it is absolutely what I believe, especially after being here for four months. It has a high-level university with every resource an academic could want, an interesting history with a key role in Slovak nationalidentity, real Slovak culture, and a beautiful natural setting.  

• How did you and your wife and two children manage the logistical aspects of moving to the heart of Central Europe? 

It was a challenge, but we prepared by learning as much as we could about the area prior to our arrival, being patient, and staying flexible. We tried to plan as best as we could about what were necessary items to bring and what we needed to obtain here. Even with our best plans, though, getting here by plane, bus, and train was a struggle, especially in winter. But what made it possible was the help and support of so many people in Slovakia who worked to make things easier for us, such as by arranging our housing and travel, and other people who gave us directions and answered our many questions.  

• What was your arrival in Slovakia like? What were your first impressions? 

I had three major impressions upon arrival in January. First, I saw how beautiful Slovakia is. We flew into Poland and then came south, and seeing the Tatras in winter was absolutely stunning. The pictures I had seen prior to coming cannot capture how scenic the country is. Second, I felt howcold it was. We have been living in Florida for ten years and the difference between the temperature when we left Tampa and what it was when we got to Slovakia really took some time to get accustomed to! But the third impression was how nice and welcoming everyone was to us. Peoplewere friendly, curious, and were always willing to help in any way we needed.  

• How are the individual family members experiencing the stay?  

Every day my kids are immersed in a culture that, while outwardly very different from that of the United States, with time becomes more open and very similar to what they are accustomed. People are people wherever you go, and the Slovaks have been kind and welcoming to us since thebeginning. I am glad my children can see that firsthand. 

As part of your stay, you are working at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations at UMB. What were your first impressions of the Slovak university? What surprised you the most?  

My first impression was how professional both the faculty and students were. Everyone knew their purpose and was dedicated to learning and preparing for the future. That was not surprising, as UMB and the faculty have a reputation for quality. But two things did surprise me: how welcomingboth the faculty and students were, and the amount of opportunities students have to learn outside of lectures. Everyone was kind and wanted to ensure that I felt at home at UMB. Those efforts absolutely made me feel connected here, and I will always be grateful fof that. But I was surprisedat how many travel opportunities, guest speakers, events, internships, and similar extra-learning opportunities were available. That is not always the case in U.S. universities, even in larger ones. But here students have access to politicians, diplomats, international institutions, other resourcesthat play such an amazing role in their education, and help in future careers. 

• What inspired or interested you most about your host institution compared to your home institution? 

I was so inspired by how much students at the Faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations were prepared, dedicated, and driven. They had so much knowledge about the United States, world affairs, and had thought deeply about key issues. But not only were they prepared foruniversity work, but they already have a sense of what they want to do after their studies, and are trying to prepare themselves now. They know their goals and purposes, and are working hard to achieve them. For a faculty member, that is impressive and inspiring, and for me it made thestudents at UMB a joy to work with. 

• How would you rate the level of the international relations students with whom you had the opportunity to discuss several courses? In what ways are they similar to and different from students in the U.S.? 

The students here are advanced, relative to others in the United States. They already have a firm grasp on history, politics, economics, and culture, and are curious to learn from others. They want to hear different opinions and they respectfully listen and ask questions, even if the information isdifferent from what they already know or believe. U.S. students also have a good knowledge of politics and culture, but are less likely to want to hear different perspectives.   

It is truly amazing that we have a professor specializing in U.S. history at Matej Bel University in the very year we are commemorating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. During your stay, we organized an event in conjunction with the Fulbright Commission to mark this anniversary, at which you delivered the keynote address. The U.S. represents perhaps the strongest manifestation of the human desire for freedom in the history of human civilization. What should we, as humanity, reflect on in the context of this anniversary? 

The United States achieved independence because its people genuinely wanted control over their own destiny, and the right to make their own choices. Those powerful ideas are part of American culture, and have led, over time, to an expansion of individual liberty and limitations to government over the past 250 years. But the United States was not a finished, perfectly free, society in 1776; rather, it put forward an ideal of liberty. It was something to aim for, a goal to work toward, and so it remains. The United States still strives to live up to its ideals, and seeks to improvethe lives of its people. It has failed in the past to always live up to such principles, and even today is still imperfect. But that does not mean liberty is a failure. Americans believe that a free society provides the path to a better, freer future, and that we should use freedom to improve lives forourselves, and others. This belief motivated Americans in 1776, motivates them in 2026, and motivates all people who value the ability to make their own decisions. 

I think all freedom-loving people – wherever they may live – need to remember that liberty is not a given state of existence. The achievement of free societies required committment, sacrifice, and often bloodshed. Today liberty still takes work, sacrifice, hardship, and a genuine desire to carenot just about yourself, but also about others. Democratic systems and decision-making are messy, time-consuming, and require compromise, but still produce free and prosperous societies. Liberty, though, is fragile, and throughout time people have looked at individual freedom as ineffiicientand hard to maintain, especially because it puts a responsibility on each person to make difficult choices and form their own opinions. Yet the cultures and political systems that value liberty and empower individuals are the freest, despite the difficulties. But all it will take is one generation of people that looks for the easy solutions, refuses to respect the opinions of others, and gives up their liberties, for everything to be lost. The continued desire for freedom, then, demands that we continue to work and protect the liberties that have been gained over time. We must do this forourselves, to honor the sacrifices previously made, and for future generations. Dates like the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence should make us pause and reflect on what previous generations believed in and how they pushed for human freedom, and how we should not take ourinheritance of freedom lightly, but rather defend it for the future, wherever we may live. 

• According to a former professor at our university (O. Krejčí: U.S. Foreign Policy), the U.S. is a country that is the first to encounter the future. What are the greatest challenges currently facing American society, and how is it coping with them? 

I think that the greatest challenges that we face as a country are a lack of understanding of our own history, and an unwillingness to see other perspectives. The United States has had many successes in our history, and quite a few failures. But often Americans are tempted to see it as allpositive, or all negative. Our history, though, is not that neat. We should focus on correcting the wrongs of the past, but in doing that we also should not forget the good that has been accomplished. When we forget the good we lose our connections with our core values and beliefs, and Americans lose their sense of what the United States believes in, and stands for on a world stage. When this happens we are at risk of losing the principles of liberty and decency that should characterize the country, and the common beliefs that bind us together. 

The second major risk is a lack of openness to other ideas, both within the United States and with the world. We want to have our own opinions, but then only listen to others who share those opinions. But that often leads to an unwillingess to compromise or see other perspectives, which isdangerous to a functioning democracy, political system, and global relations.  

I believe it is up to individual citizens to try and correct these mistakes. We need to listen to other ideas and judge them based on their value and function, not who said them. Education should also lead the way in this, allowing for free expression of ideas in the pursuit of truth and allowing forfree investigation, wherever it might lead. And we need to search out other perspectives and not be narrow-minded, and see what others are going through, so that we can make judgments and find common solutions to problems, rather than dividing people and countries. 

• What do you think the US should offer the world in the 21st century? 

I believe that the United States should set an example of liberty to the world. The United States should demonstrate what a free, open, and diverse democratic society can be, even if that image is messy. Arguing, debate, and disagreement are natural to a free people, but I believe that commonground, and solutions, can still be found. If we do this, and overcome our differences, we can demonstrate to the world that democracy and freedom are still possible, and worth the costs to maintain them. In this way the United States can provide leadership toward advancing human rightsand freedom throughout the world. 

• During your stay, you participated in several academic events and visited several cities in Slovakia. What surprised you most as a historian?  

I was surprised by how many layers of culture and history there are everywhere in Slovakia. Castles seem to be on almost every hill and date back to very different eras in history and different ruling groups. The economic landscape of the country varies widely, with different industriesdominating different areas. Because of the long history of the land, and all the groups that have been through it, there is an amazing culture that is seen in different dialects, customs, beliefs, and practices, all with roots going back anywhere from thousands of years to just recently. It isfascinating, but hard for outsiders to follow. I am impressed with Slovaks who are able to understand their history!  

• Did you encounter any opportunities or challenges that personally changed you, outside of your academic or professional sphere? 

One of the things that I have been fascinated with during my time here is speaking with Slovaks about their experiences under communism. I have taught about the Cold War for years, but from an American perspective, and for many Americans (myself included) it is extremely difficult to understand what life under communism was like. Hearing from Slovaks who lived through those years – and the stories they remember – has been one of the most enriching experiences of my time here. I grew up in the closing years of the Cold War and the “communist“ world seemed a worldaway, but to now have lived in a place and to hear the stories from people who also lived through that conflict – but from the other side  – has been enlightening in my understanding people, history, and culture. 

• What message would you like to share with the young students at our university? 

I would encourage them to really embrace their time at UMB, and to try to learn from the amazing faculty here and take part in the outside activities that will help them in future careers. The university is excellent and will prepare students for the future, but their success will come from theirpreparation and work. I would also encourage students to take pride in this university, Slovakia, and region. There is much to be inspired by in this place and their future work will be essential to the advancement of Slovakia, Central Europe, and beyond.  

Thank you for the interview, and I wish you every success in your academic career and personal life.