{"id":63008,"date":"2021-06-17T08:27:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T15:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=63008"},"modified":"2021-06-17T08:27:42","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T15:27:42","slug":"gilman-scholars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/gilman-scholars\/","title":{"rendered":"NAU Education Abroad guides record number of students to Gilman Scholars despite pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

A record number of nine students from Northern Arizona University\u2019s Education Abroad program<\/a> received the U.S. Department of State\u2019s prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship<\/a>, which funds study abroad opportunities. The Gilman program is offered through the Institute of International Education<\/a> and the scholarship is funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since 2001, the Institute of International Education has administered the program to give American students the opportunity to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures that will contribute to their own development, national security and economic prosperity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our globalized world, now more than ever, it is important for young people to gain exposure to new cultures,\u201d said Amanda Williamson<\/strong>, Education Abroad adviser. \u201cStudents gain new perspectives on their field of study by seeing how their major is studied in other countries, and they also learn about people from all walks of life. Learning about new cultures gives students new insight and can shift the way they think about their home culture. It also offers the ability to build student resumes and professional networks, offering career advancement opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scholarship also alleviates some of the financial constraints that students might face when studying abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cost of a university education is already challenging for students, which is why Education Abroad highly prioritizes accessibility through affordable options in programming and scholarship availability,\u201d Williamson said. \u201cIn addition to applying their FAFSA and tuition waivers on most programs, students also can apply for a wide variety of scholarships, including the Gilman. We hear from students every year who express that without their scholarship funding, they would not have been able to go abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recipients went through a competitive selection process guided by Williamson, National & International Scholarships and Fellowships academic success coordinator Andrea Graves<\/strong>, and dean of the Honors College Kevin Gustafson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis past year and a half has been exceptionally difficult for all of us, but especially our students,\u201d Williamson said. \u201cThe hard work and dedication embodied by these students is evident in the overwhelming success of this year\u2019s Gilman applicants and awardees. While Education Abroad, the Honors College and the University Writing Commons all provided support in the application process, the students\u2019 success in this achievement is entirely their own and we are incredibly proud of their hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s recipients were:<\/p>\n

Andrea Corona<\/strong>, junior, criminology and criminal justice<\/p>\n