UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Six Penn Staters have earned scholarships from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which provides up to $5,000 for undergraduate students to study abroad.
Gilman Scholarships are part of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. More than 3,600 scholarships were awarded during the 2022-23 academic year. Recipients come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The following is a list of Penn State Gilman Scholarship awardees and their host country for study abroad:
- Marola Anes, biology, Eberly College of Science, Italy.
- Drake Daboul, acting, College of Arts and Architecture, United Kingdom.
- Nije’e Patton-Johns, psychology, with minors in Korean and human development and family studies, College of the Liberal Arts, South Korea.
- Ryn Rizer, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering, Germany.
- Prianon Shahid, computer engineering, College of Engineering and Schreyer Honors College, Spain.
- Nathan Smith, computer engineering, College of Engineering, Japan.
More than 41,000 scholarships have been awarded since the Gilman Program began in 2001. Its goal is to provide study abroad, language and STEM research opportunities to students who otherwise wouldn’t have the means to do so.
According to a 2021 internal study that analyzed the program's impact over 20 years, the vast majority of former Gilman Scholars said their study abroad and participation in the program led to improvements in their intercultural competency. More than 90% said they improved their knowledge of their host country, had an increased respect for the values of different cultures, had the ability to explain complex global issues, and improved their knowledge of their host country. The majority of former Gilman Scholars also said their experience benefited their current studies and later made a positive impact on their professional trajectory.
Applying for a Gilman Scholarship
Undergraduate students must apply directly to the Gilman Scholarship Program and can do so at any point during their undergraduate studies. Only students currently receiving Federal Pell Grant funding are eligible.
The next application cycle for the Gilman Scholarship is now open for applicants whose in-person programs or internships start between May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. This cycle encompasses Maymester 2024, summer 2024, fall 2024, academic year 2024-25 and spring 2025 programs or internships. The application deadline is Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Penn State Global Education Abroad and the Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring office will be hosting an informational session at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, on Zoom. Learn more about the Gilman Scholarship and register for the information session here.
Penn State applicants are encouraged to work with the Penn State Global Education Abroad office to identify an appropriate education abroad program. Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring can help students prepare a competitive application. Draft materials are due two weeks ahead of the national deadline to be reviewed by the Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring team.
Penn State Global Federal Pell Grant and Gilman Scholarship guarantee
Penn State Global recently launched several scholarship opportunities for Federal Pell Grant recipients, including a guaranteed $1,000 scholarship for every Federal Pell Grant recipient that is approved to study abroad through any Penn State-approved education abroad program.
Additionally, Federal Pell Grant recipients who submit a completed application for the Gilman Scholarship Program and meet eligibility requirements for the Gilman Scholarship Program (including, but not limited to, eligible locations) will automatically increase their Penn State Global guaranteed scholarship amount another $500, to a minimum of $1,500.
Students can learn about these funding opportunities and more by visiting the Penn State Global Education Abroad website.