Nine U of A Students Earn Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad

Nine University of Arkansas undergraduate students have earned Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to fund opportunities for study or internship abroad. The Gilman Scholars will receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship costs.

The scholarship program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is intended to increase international experiences for American students, so they will be better prepared to assume leadership roles in the increasingly global economy.

The nine scholarship winners and three alternates are among the estimated 700 U of A students studying abroad in the upcoming summer term. The U of A Gilman scholars are part a select group of 250 students awarded the scholarship nationwide.

Dawn Cook, a U of A Gilman scholarship winner, said she is excited she won the scholarship and is eager to learn as much as she can during her time abroad.

"I am looking forward to immersing myself in a different culture," Cook said. "I want to learn and explore everything, and studying abroad provides that opportunity by opening up the world as a classroom."

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Recipients

• Quezar Cedillo, criminal justice major, studying abroad in Mexico
• Dawn Cook, childhood education major, studying abroad in Thailand
• Nicholas Gregory, chemistry major, studying abroad in Peru
• Connor Heo, mechanical engineering major, studying abroad in Germany
• Antonio Igbokidi, biology major, studying abroad in South Africa
• Calvin Jones, international relations major, studying abroad in China
• Emily Matlock, industrial engineering major, studying abroad in Japan
• Jacob Mayfield, biology major, studying abroad in the Netherlands
• Jorge Vega, international business major, studying abroad in Spain

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Alternates

• Melanie Fierro, criminal justice major, studying abroad in Mexico
• Huyen Ho, kinesiology major, studying abroad in Mexico
• Emily Weber, communication disorders major, studying abroad in Italy

Applications for the 2017 Gilman Scholarships will be available in August 2016. Undergraduate students with limited financial means who plan to study abroad are encouraged to apply.