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Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

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SPONSORED BY Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs U.S. Department of State ADMINISTERED BY Institute of International Education (IIE)
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Page 1: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

SPONSORED BY

Bureau of Educational and Cultural AffairsU.S. Department of State

ADMINISTERED BY

Institute of International Education (IIE)

Page 2: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

The Benjamin A. Gilman

International Scholarship

Program diversifies the

kinds of students who

study abroad and the

countries and regions

where they go. The Gilman

Program provides study

abroad scholarships to

undergraduates who might

otherwise not participate

due to financial constraints.

Specifically, the Gilman

Program provides up to

$5,000 (up to $8,000 for

students studying critical

need languages in strategic

world areas) to participate

in study abroad programs

all over the globe. Nearly

10,000 scholarships for

study abroad have been

awarded to some of

America’s brightest

undergraduate students

since the 2001

academic year.

In this era of globalization, increasing access to international

experiences—such as study abroad participation—is critical

to the academic and professional development of American

students. Study abroad is often considered a luxury due to

the substantial financial investment that students must make.

The Gilman Program seeks to diversify the types of students

that study abroad and the regions where they go. The

program aims to reach students with high financial need,

students studying in non-traditional countries, those from

diverse ethnic backgrounds, first-generation college students,

students from underrepresented institutions (such as

HBCUs, MSIs, HSIs, and Community Colleges), students

majoring in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics

(STEM) fields, and students with disabilities.

Undergraduate students who are Federal Pell Grant

recipients may apply for the Gilman Program. Eligible study

abroad programs provide academic credit for a minimum of

four weeks in a foreign country.

Students who indicate they will be studying a Critical Need

Language are considered for an additional $3,000 Critical

Need Language Award, for a total possible award of up to

$8,000. Critical Need Languages include Arabic, Chinese,

Japanese, Korean, Bahasa Indonesia, Russian, Swahili, Turkic

languages (Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Turkish, Turkmen,

Uzbek), Persian languages (Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, Pashto, Tajik),

and Indic languages (Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Sinhala, Bengali,

Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi).

To help expand the impact of the Gilman Program, all

Gilman Scholars must carry out Follow-on Service Projects

to promote international education and the Gilman Program

to their peers and local communities. The students give back

to the U.S. community in this way.

About The Program

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMANWWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN

Page 3: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

The Benjamin A. Gilman

International Scholarship

Program came to fruition

through the International

Academic Opportunity

Act of 2000 (H.R. 4528).

This legislation

was introduced by

Benjamin A. Gilman, a

former United States

Representative from New

York, and has received

strong bi-partisan support

for over 10 years.

The purpose of the

International Academic

Opportunity Act of 2000

was to establish an

undergraduate grant

program for students of

limited financial means in

order to “broaden the

outlook and better

prepare such students of

demonstrated financial

need to assume significant

roles in the increasingly

global economy.”

Over the span of 10 years,

the Gilman Program has awarded

nearly 10,000 scholarships to an

outstanding and diverse group of students.

Gilman Alumni, representing nearly 950

institutions from all fifty states (including

Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico), have

studied in 125 countries over the past decade.

Program H i s tory

Introducing the Act, Representative Gilman stated: “the

intention of the bill is to work within the existing college

campus study abroad programs. It expands the pool of

students who will benefit personally and later professionally

from internationally oriented education.”

In 2001, the Gilman Program was officially launched to

expand and diversify U.S. study abroad participation by

helping to meet the financial needs of underrepresented

students. Over the past decade, the Gilman Program has

become one of the most widely recognized and respected

initiatives of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The Gilman

Program is the largest undergraduate study abroad

scholarship program in the country and is a critical resource

for the higher education community to make study abroad

accessible to students with high financial need.

Over the span of 10 years, the Gilman Program will have

awarded nearly 10,000 scholarships to an outstanding and

diverse group of students. After returning from study

abroad, Gilman Alumni have gone on to pursue further

international opportunities, such as research or work

abroad. The Gilman Program has served as a solid

stepping-stone toward other grants and awards,

including Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarships. Many

Gilman Alumni have pursued careers in

the fields of international education,

foreign affairs, and international

business, with government agencies,

nonprofit organizations, and

multi-national corporations.

Congressman and Mrs. Benjamin A. Gilman

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN

Page 4: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

Gilman International Scholarship Program

U.S. Demographics

Midwest

Northeast

Rocky Mountain

Southern

West

24% 20%

24%

10%

22%

Total Number of Institutions 969

Total Number of Applicants 36,212

Total Number of Recipients 9,796

U.S. Region Breakdown

Ethnicity Breakdown Comparison

“Without funding, my six month study abroad experience in Ecuadorwould not have been possible. My time in Ecuador showed me howimportant it is to be culturally sensitive which I can utilize as abilingual professional in the health field.”

Emily MorenoECUADOR, 2007

Recipients

Applicants

Institutions Represented

Top 20 Gilman Scholar HOST Countries

Gilman Scholar HOST Countries

* All references to National Study Abroad data are from Open Doors

9% of Gilman recipients did not respond to the survey question

0

20

30

10

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

National Statistics *

PE

RC

EN

TA

GE

OF

U.S

. S

TU

DE

NT

S

Gilman Recipients

15 4 14 6 14 5 40 83 8 111

Asian orPacific Islander Hispanic

White /Non-Hispanic

Other /Multi-racial

Black /Non-Hispanic

NativeAmerican

Page 5: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

“One unique aspect of my timeabroad, which resulted from beinga Gilman Scholar, was theopportunity to work with the StateDepartment through the U.S.Embassy in Senegal to promoteinternational education amongSenegalese high school students.”

Joel RoweSENEGAL, 2008

“After my experience inIndia, my goal is tocontinue to help the lessfortunate and to helppeople find justice. I want to show all of myyoung neighbors that thehardships of the “barrio”in which we live do nothave to be an excuse forfailure, but a reason tosucceed, and to help ourcommunity succeed.”

Fatima OrtegaINDIA, 2006

“The Gilman Sch my life and futu unable to study been a much di

Ariel SimoNEW ZEALAND

“After having gone to Norway alone, my self-confidence has soared to a new level that Ionce thought was unattainable. International education and the Gilman Scholarship havimpacted my life in more positive ways than I could ever adequately express in words.”

Andrea HansonNORWAY, 2008

“Setting foot on the historically andculturally-rich European soil has givenme a very personal connection withthe world surrounding me. My eyeswere opened and I suddenly wantedto re-experience every history class,every historical documentary, andevery piece of world news I had everencountered.”

Kara NordhusCZECH REPUBLIC, 2003

Page 6: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

Global Demographics

World Region Breakdown

Critical Need Language Awards Represented

“Studying abroad in China has impacted me in ways beyond myexpectations as it has changed my view on academics, work,and above all, appreciation of culture. I now possess a broaderview of things, especially in regards to different cultures andcustoms, and have a deeper appreciation of diversity”

Chae-Ri HanCHINA, 2010

holarship and my study abroad experience have had a profound impact on ure goals. Had it not been for the scholarship program I would have been

y abroad, and without my study abroad experience I believe I would have ifferent person than I am today.”

ons D, 2008

ve

Total Countries 125

Rank Country Recipients1 China 7452 Japan 7343 Spain 6614 United Kingdom 5305 France 3806 Italy 3407 South Africa 2908 Costa Rica 2699 Ghana 25710 Korea, South 25111 Argentina 23411 Mexico 23412 India 22913 Egypt 21714 Australia 20515 Hong Kong 16715 Chile 16716 Russia 16317 Germany 15718 Brazil 15518 Ecuador 15519 Thailand 13620 Czech Republic 111

Countries of Study

61%

16%

5%

4%6%

2%

6%

30%10%

28%

4%18%

6%

4%

Top 20 Countries of Study

Africa

Asia

Eastern Europe

Latin America

Middle East

Western Europe

Oceania

Arabic

Chinese

Indic

Korean

Russian

Turkish

Swahili

Page 7: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

This was definitely the case for

Brian, who went on to receive

several prominent awards after

receiving a Gilman Scholarship.

As a Gilman Scholar at the

University of Oxford, Brian

developed a computer model to

design new types of non-

tracking solar concentrators

using genetic algorithms and

began researching Dye-

Sensitized Solar Cells. After

graduating from the University

of Texas at Austin with a

Bachelor of Science degree in

Electrical Engineering, Brian

received a Grant from the

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

to conduct research in

Switzerland for the 2004-2005

academic year. As a Fulbright

U.S. Student Fellow, Brian

worked with Michael Grätzel, a

distinguished solar scientist and

the inventor of the dye-

sensitized solar cell at Ecole

Polytechnique Fédérale de

Lausanne.

He enrolled at Stanford

University as a Ph.D student in

the Material Science

Department after his return

from Switzerland. Brian has

spent the last few years

developing new kinds of

dye-sensitized solar cell

architectures, which mimic

photosynthesis and have the

potential to increase solar cell

performance by more than 30%.

Upon reflection, Brian finds that

“the Gilman Scholarship was my

first major scholarship and gave

me the opportunity to cultivate

my research interests abroad

and follow my dream of making

solar power affordable.”

He will soon defend his thesis

and will then launch his own

solar company.

Gilman Scholarships have fostered and enhanced

leadership abilities in recipients. Gilman Scholars

return with clear aspirations, a renewed sense of

hope, and a commitment to pursue their dreams.

Read about five Gilman Alumni whose international

experiences shaped and affirmed their future goals

and gave them the courage to achieve their dreams.

UNITED KINGDOM - 2003

Brian HardinUniversity of Texas

Brian Hardin, a student from the

University of Texas, Austin, received

a Gilman Scholarship to the United Kingdom for the spring of

2003. He reflects that “winning the first high profile scholarship is

often times the most difficult. The Gilman Scholarship offers

students with high financial need an equal opportunity to build

their academic record to win future fellowships.”

Alumni Profiles

Victoria Pinto

Page 8: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

JAPAN - 2006

Taurean BarnwellUniversity of South Florida

SOUTH AFRICA - 2005

Victoria PintoUniversity of California

INDIA - 2010

Erika DelCidVirginia Commonwealth University

South Africa struck Victoria Pinto from the start as the

“country of wonders.” Although Victoria, a student from the

University of California, San Diego (UCSD), realized that “it is

hard as a Westerner to fight the urge to exoticize Africa as

this big mysterious place” she used her Gilman Scholarship to

study in South Africa during the Fall of 2005 to “seek out not

only the differences but also the similarities of the many

cultures of South Africa with our own.”

During her semester in South Africa, she auditioned and was

cast for a play entitled Identity, which gave her a deeply

personal and intimate look at the many complexities of South

African identity. In addition to the play, Victoria interned at

Learn With Echo, a publication within the largest newspaper in

the province, The Natal Witness.

She volunteered in her spare time at the Salvation Army

orphanage/half-way house for children who were either

infected with HIV/AIDS or orphaned by parents who were

infected. Deeply moved, Victoria was inspired to do more

research into the issue. With the help of her political science

professor, Victoria did a comparative analysis of the public

health policies of several African nations afflicted with

HIV/AIDS including Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Upon her return to the United States, she began to put her

Gilman Follow-on Project into motion. Victoria met

with her university’s Student Organization and

Leadership Opportunity Office and collected the

necessary paperwork to get AIDS Project Africa

established as a new student organization on campus.

She worked with the three most prominent student

bands on UCSD's campus and put together a benefit

concert on her campus.

At the event, the group posted information about the

AIDS crisis in Africa and worldwide. This first ever

AIDS Project Africa event was a huge success, with over

150 people in attendance and $300 raised.

Victoria is grateful for her experience in South Africa. “Africa

taught me that I am but one small piece of an intricate, diverse,

and increasingly complex puzzle of global citizenship. She adds

that this new perspective has “enriched my life in inexpressible

ways and the Gilman Scholarship has contributed greatly to that.”

After graduation, Victoria ventured to Japan to work as an

English teacher.

In 2006, Taurean, an International

Business major at the University

of South Florida, finally had the

opportunity to make his dream

come true through the Gilman

Program. He set his sights on a

study abroad program at Kansai

Gaidai University in Japan and

started preparing his essays.

In his Gilman Scholarship

application, Taurean explained

how Kansai Gaidai was the

perfect fit for his academic

aspirations, which were to gain

practical Japanese language

abilities and learn about East

Asian economies and cultures.

Over the past few years, Erika’s

studies led her to a focus on

India’s culture and resources. She

was captivated by the

organizations that offer relief and

support to impoverished

communities in India.

Her program of study at the

University of Hyderabad

provided the ideal academic

environment to grasp the

intricacies of Indian culture,

analyze humanitarian efforts, and

pursue studies as a political

science major.

In Hyderabad, Erika took classes

on Indian culture with other

international students as well as

courses with Indian

undergraduates. She also took an

introductory course in Hindi in

order to better integrate herself

into the local culture. Erika’s study

abroad experience reaffirmed her

goal to work for an international

humanitarian organization.

As a young boy, Taurean Barnwell would anxiously wait for

his father to return home from his travels with the Air Force.

Taurean was captivated by his father’s stories about his

expeditions around the world - especially the stories about

Japan, a country that Taurean dreamed of visiting.

“seek out not only the differences butalso the similarities between the manycultures of South Africa with our own.”

Taurean also elaborated

on his professional goal to

work in foreign affairs in

Washington, D.C., concluding

that overseas experience in

Japan would “help to

differentiate me and make me

more competitive.”

After submitting a stellar

application, Taurean received a

Gilman Scholarship for his

semester at Kansai Gaidai.

While in Japan, Taurean took

every opportunity to practice

his Japanese and learn about

business and culture in East

Asian countries. After

graduation, Taurean served as

an Assistant Language Teacher

for the Japanese Exchange

Teaching program (JET) in

Japan for two years.

Currently, Taurean works in the

political section of the Embassy

of Japan in Washington, D.C.

As part of his many

responsibilities, Taurean assists

diplomats in the development

and implementation of special

events, such as receptions and

high profile visits by dignitaries.

Erika DelCid received a Gilman Scholarship to study

abroad at the University of Hyderabad in India. She was

motivated by her parents’ determination to give their family

a better life. Erika’s parents, now residents of Virginia, were

refugees from the civil war in El Salvador in the early

1980’s. Their experience inspired Erika to attend college

and study abroad with the goal of eventually working

for an international humanitarian organization. As a first

generation college student, she works hard to serve

as a positive role model for others in her family.

Page 9: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

Don is grateful for his direct

experience in the Middle East

because “the region cannot be

understood from books alone

and the language cannot be

perfected without speaking it

on the streets, in the dialects

used by real people.” He refers

to his semester in Egypt as the

capstone to his undergraduate

experience, noting that he

could not have gone without

the support of his Gilman

Scholarship.

Although he focused on

practicing his Arabic and gaining

an understanding of the region,

Don also aspired to make a

difference in elementary

classrooms in the U.S. For his

Follow-on Service Project as a

Gilman Scholar, Don was

chosen in a competitive

application process to be a

Reach the World correspondent.

In 2009, the Gilman Scholarship

Program began a partnership

with Reach the World, a

nonprofit organization with the

mission of linking students and

teachers to online, global

journeys that have the power to

expand learning beyond the

walls of the classroom. Through

an interactive website, RTW

enriches the school and

afterschool curriculum by

connecting classrooms to

independent travelers who are

studying or exploring around

the globe. Gilman Scholars are

ideal correspondents. They not

only study in various countries

around the world, but they are

also inspirational role models to

many other young people,

informing them of the

opportunities both to attend

college and to study abroad.

Don’s immersion in Egypt led

him to a long-term goal of

becoming a Foreign Service

Officer. He is currently in

graduate school working

towards a Master of Arts

Degree in Near and Middle

Eastern Studies at the School of

Oriental and African Studies

(SOAS) in London.

EGYPT - 2009

Don GomezCity University of New York

Don Gomez served in the U.S. Army for five years

and was deployed twice to Iraq. After his return,

he remained fascinated with the modern Middle East

and the Arabic language. He saw the Gilman Program

as the perfect opportunity to experience the region “as a student and a civilian,

to understand what it feels like to be completely immersed in the culture in a way that is not

possible when deployed.” Don received a Gilman Scholarship to study in Cairo, along with a

Critical Need Language Award to learn Arabic.

“the region cannot be understood from books alone, andthe language cannot be perfected without speaking it on

the streets, in the dialects used by real people.”

Since the inception of the program, 3,000 University

Advisors at nearly 1,000 institutions have participated as

Gilman Scholarship Advisors. Many of these advisors not

only certify Gilman Scholarship applications from their

institutions, but they also serve on national selection panels

and conduct outreach for the program at institutional and

international conferences and events.

University Advisors, who are representative of the diverse

higher education institutions in the U.S., collaborate with

Gilman administrators to increase the number of Gilman

Scholarship applicants and the competitiveness of their

applications. The Benjamin A. Gilman International

Scholarship Program is grateful to advisors who

continuously promote study abroad and encourage their

students to apply for the Gilman Scholarship.

As we embark on the next decade, we hope to continue to

build upon this collaboration to reach a greater number of

underrepresented students. We would like to take this

opportunity to say

thank you.

Collaborating withUniversity Advisors:

A KeyComponent ofthe Gilman Program

Page 10: Gilman Tenth Anniversary Publication

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairsand administered by the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas.

Institute of International EducationGilman International Scholarship Program

1800 West Loop South, Suite 250, Houston, TX 77027

Telephone : (832) 369-3483

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMANWWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN


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