SPONSORED BY Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs U.S. Department of State ADMINISTERED BY Institute of International Education (IIE)
Feb 14, 2016
SPONSORED BY
Bureau of Educational and Cultural AffairsU.S. Department of State
ADMINISTERED BY
Institute of International Education (IIE)
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
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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
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
“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
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
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
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.
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
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
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