Four College of Arts & Sciences and Honors Tutorial College students have been awarded Gilman scholarships to enable them to pursue their dreams of studying abroad.
There are part of about 800 American undergraduate students from 356 colleges and universities across the United States selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Ohio University students will be studying abroad during the summer of 2015:
- Alena Klimas, a Political Science and War and Peace major, will travel to Jordan.
- Hallie Smith, a Biological Sciences pre-professional major, will travel to Spain.
- Matthew Kinlow, a Chemistry pre-med major, will travel to Botswana.
- Sasha Estrella-Jones, an Honors Tutorial College student studying Anthropology, will travel to Senegal.
Each of these Gilman recipients will receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The goals of the program are to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies – making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.
Laura Schaeffer, fellowship adviser and director of special programs, worked to promote the program on all Ohio University campuses and with the students on their applications in cooperation with the Office of Global Opportunities.
“I was thrilled to be able to work with such a diverse group of students with the motivation and curiosity to venture to locations underrepresented in study abroad. This application process takes courage and a good deal of work that these students will benefit from for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Congressman Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee, once stated, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”
The program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). According to Allan Goodman, president and CEO of IIE, “International education is one of the best tools for developing mutual understanding and building connections between people from different countries. It is critical to the success of American diplomacy and business, and the lasting ties that Americans make during their international studies are important to our country in times of conflict as well as times of peace.”
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