It's not often that students would call their undergraduate experience "mesmerizing" in light of stressors such as exams, deadlines and an excessive consumption of caffeine, but Arkansas native Jose Torres would say otherwise. 

Torres had this experience when he interned at a national park in Belize for two months as part of Dr. Farmer's Special Projects Program.  Beyond the time spent learning from his internship, he spent this time living in Dangriga riding bikes, interacting with locals who treated him like family, and hiking trails at the national park. Beyond these fun-filled experiences, Torres had the opportunity to speak Spanish with locals and to live in Dangriga, including cooking and cleaning their house, learning bus routes, and how to work with vendors. 

All of this was possible for the undergraduate student because of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which provides funding for students across the United States to study abroad.

When asked how glad he was for the experience of studying abroad through the Gilman Scholarship, Torres said simply, "I am very glad.  The Gilman Scholarship gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted that I otherwise wouldn't have." Because of this scholarship, Torres and 34,000 other underrepresented American students were able to have these transformational experiences that they might not have been able to otherwise. 

Torres found out about the Gilman Scholarship after hearing about the Special Projects Program in Belize. Upon attending a workshop for those interested in the scholarship, he decided to apply to it because he "valued the mission that Gilman represents."

"The Gilman Scholarship's mission aligns perfectly with my interests," he said.  "I knew I had to apply."

"The Gilman Scholarship supports those who want to study abroad but can't due to financial constraints," Torres continued.  "I'm a first-generation college student, so I understand the difficulties of gathering funding for studying abroad and not being able to ask for help from my family. Yet, I still wanted to travel and learn about the world."       

This desire to travel and learn more about the world was made possible when he discovered that he'd received the scholarship. Torres said he was "elated" when he received the email. "The feeling of being awarded for something you worked really hard for is ineffable. It truly feels like all your efforts paid off, and it makes you want to keep going so you can keep making your friends and family proud."

Torres concluded by restating his thankfulness for the Gilman Scholarship and the trip to Belize it funded.

"Because I'm considered an alumnus of the Gilman Scholarship, I can connect with other scholars and alumni and have opportunities for webinars and conferences that could further my career. Even after my study abroad, the Gilman Scholarship is still giving me opportunities, which I'm forever grateful for."