UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four Penn State students are part of a select group of 250 American undergraduate students from 140 colleges and universities across the U.S. to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the scholarship enables recipients to study or intern abroad during the summer 2016 early application cycle.
The Penn State students selected for the scholarship are:
- Brandon Petras, Penn State Behrend, participating in the IES: Berlin, Language and Culture (Summer)
- Sheila Sydnor-Riddick, Penn State Berks, participating in the Puebla, Mexico: Spanish Language, Art and Mexican Culture (Summer)
- Abdoulaye Diallo, Penn State University Park, participating in the Beijing, China: Impact of Culture on Engineering in China (Summer)
- Rachael Hazen, Penn State University Park, participating in the Global Health Fieldwork Experience in Tanzania program (Summer)
Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The program aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. Students receiving a federal Pell Grant from two- and four-year institutions who will be studying abroad or participating in a career-oriented international internship for academic credit are eligible to apply. 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.
“Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates," said Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee. "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 Institute of International Education (IIE) administers the program. The full list of students who have been selected to receive Gilman Scholarships, including students’ home state, university and host country, is available at www.iie.org/gilman.
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.”