Sponsored by U.S. Department of State
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (May 24, 2013) – Four Northern Kentucky University students are among the list of over 700 outstanding American undergraduates from 270 colleges and universities across the country who have been selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, to participate in a study abroad or international internship program this summer.
Anthony Baker, a senior history major with a minor in Chinese/Asian studies, will be studying in Seoul, South Korea, at Hansung University. He will be working with NKU professor Carol Medlicott looking at the historical political relationship between Korea and China.
Halie Sweeney, Mary Von Lehman and Brittany Walker are all nursing majors at NKU. Walker is a senior from Fairdale, Ky.; Sweeney is a junior from Alexandria, Ky.; von Lehman is a junior from Villa Hills, Ky. They will spending five weeks working with NKU associate professor Adele Dean conducting a community health assessment and studying women’s health issues in Tanzania at the University of Dar es Salaam.
“I was shocked and honored to receive the scholarships,” Von Lehman said. “It’s going to be an incredible journey and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to experience Tanzanian culture, to serve others and to expand my nursing education.”
Dean shared her student’s enthusiasm. “I am thrilled for these students as this is a full scholarship and we have found from previous experience with nursing students studying abroad that these programs develop empathy, an understanding of other cultures, an appreciation for diversity and the ability to provide culturally sensitive care to patients from other cultures – an ever-increasing number of our patient load here in the U.S,” she said.
With the 700 new scholarships this summer, the Gilman Scholarship Program has offered more than 2,800 scholarships in 2012-13 academic year, the most in its history. Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad program costs, and a limited number of students will also receive additional funding for language study through the Critical Need Language Awards, for a total award of $8,000. A complete list of students selected to receive Gilman Scholarships is available at www.iie.org/gilman.
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman Scholarship Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go. Applications for spring 2014 Gilman Scholarships will be available online in August and are due Oct. 1. Students receiving a federal Pell Grant from two- and four-year institutions who will be studying abroad or participating in an international internship for academic credit are encouraged to apply.
Since the establishment of the Gilman International Scholarship Program by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, more than 13,000 students have received the award. It is named for former Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, who served 30 years in the House of Representatives and chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee before retiring in 2002.
The program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Recipients of the scholarship 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.
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