Seven University of Wisconsin–Madison students are among more than 1,100 undergraduates from 358 colleges and universities across the United States awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, for study abroad during the summer of 2014.
Each Gilman Scholar receives up to $5,000 to apply towards study abroad program costs. The program aims to diversify the population of students who study 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 an international internship for academic credit are eligible.
“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,” says Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee. “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 UW–Madison students receiving Gilman awards for summer 2014 are:
- Luis Gonzalez Quizhpe, of Weyauwega, WI, going to Quito, Ecuador, Ceiba Tropical Ecosystems: Andes, Amazon, Pacific Coast
- Robert Kueffer, of Waunakee, WI, going to Tianjin, China, UW Intensive Chinese Language Program
- Nicholas Ladas, of Roseville, MN, going to China, UW–Madison International Engineering Studies & Programs, China Summer Program
- Mckinleigh Mccabe, of Decorah, IA, going to China, UW–Madison International Engineering Studies & Programs, China Summer Program
- Wesley Newman, of Dearborn, MI, going to China, UW–Madison International Engineering Studies & Programs, China Summer Program
- Dana Radojevic, of Racine, WI, going to Zagreb, Croatia, U.S. Department of State Internship Program, through UW International Internship Program
- Josh Walling, of Madison, WI, going to Costa Rica, Instituto de Cultura y Lengua Costarricense
The Gilman Scholarships program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
“International education is one of the best tools for developing mutual understanding and building connections between people from different countries,” says Allan Goodman, IIE’s president and CEO. “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.”
— by Kerry G. Hill