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6 Loyola University Chicago Students Awarded Gilman International Scholarship!

6 Loyola University Chicago Students Awarded Gilman International Scholarship!

May 20, 2015

Six Loyola University Chicago students were awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for fall 2015/academic year 2015–2016. They were selected along with over 850 American undergraduate students from over 330 colleges and universities across the U.S.

  • Conor Burton, a senior, has won the Gilman Scholarship for the fall 2015 semester to study at The Beijing Center. He is majoring in Economics, Global and International Studies, and Political Science and minoring in Anthropology and Asian Languages & Literatures.
  • Ja’elle Croom, a junior majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and minoring in Urban Studies has won the Gilman Scholarship to study at Loyola’s Global Partner Program, USAC, in Lyon, France.
  • Daniel Dress, Vietnam, a junior, has won the Gilman Scholarship for the fall 2015 semester to study at Loyola’s Vietnam Center. He is a Political Science major with a minor in Urban Studies and Sociology.
  • Saeger Godson, a sophomore majoring in Economics and International Affairs, has won the Scholarship to study at The Beijing Center during the fall 2015 semester.
  • Alaine Hope, a senior majoring in Spanish and Global and International Studies with a minor in Latin American Studies, has won the Scholarship to study at Loyola’s Global Partner Program, IES, in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the fall 2015 semester.
  • Emily Marogi, a senior majoring in Biology and English, has worn the Gilman Scholarship to study at the John Felice Rome Center during the fall 2015 semester. He has also been selected as a Ricci Scholar sand will study at The Beijing Center in the spring 2016 semester.

Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards 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.

Congressman Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee, commented, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. 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 program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The full list of students who have been selected to receive Gilman Scholarships, including students’ home state, university and host country, is available on their website: 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.”

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) mission is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange that assist in the development of peaceful relations. In an effort to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, ECA programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of American and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.  Artists, educators, athletes, students, youth and rising leaders in the United States and more than 160 countries around the globe participate in academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges. For more information about ECA programs, initiatives, and achievements, visit http://eca.state.gov.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1919, the Institute is the world’s most experienced global higher education and professional exchange organization. IIE has a network of 19 offices worldwide working with more than 1,200 member institutions and over 6,000 individuals with a commitment to the internationalization of their institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government and private sources. These programs include the Fulbright and Humphrey Fellowships administered for the U.S. Department of State. The Institute is a resource for educators and institutions worldwide (http://www.iie.org), publishing the Open Doors Report and operating www.IIEPassport.org and www.studyabroadfunding.org search engines for study abroad program and study abroad scholarships. For more information, please contact Lindsay Calvert, Director, Gilman International Scholarship, at 832.369.3481 or lcalvert@iie.org.