This year, eight UConn students were awarded the Gilman Scholarship. The scholarship is an academic opportunity awarded to students who are studying abroad. The scholarship funding for their study abroad semester allows students the opportunity to receive their education in another country and immerse themselves in rich culture and internship experiences. It is funded by The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the State Department, according to its website.
Once their study abroad semester has completed, participants are required to carry out a service project within their community, whether that be on campus or in their local hometowns. The goal of these projects is to share the value of studying abroad and help encourage other prospective students to apply, according to the website.
This year, the eight awarded students come from a wide range of educational paths, according to UConn Today.
Nicholas Benda, eighth-semester maritime studies major, will be studying the ecosystems and biodiversity in the Galapagos at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in the spring semester.
Alexandra Bradley, eighth-semester English major, will study at L’Institut Catholique de Paris in the spring semester. Hanna Gjetaj, sixth-semester marketing major, will go on to study business and economics in London in the spring semester.
Hannah Hidalgo, sixth-semester nursing major with a minor in human development and family sciences, will study nursing at various locations in Rwanda this summer. Hidalgo said her passion for underserved communities has fueled her educational journey thus far.
“In Rwanda, where I will have the opportunity to learn about healthcare challenges in a global context and contribute to improving access to care. This experience is deeply meaningful to me, as it allows me to combine my nursing education with my commitment to health equity, all while immersing myself in the rich culture of Rwanda,” Hidalgo said.
Angelina Larracuente, sixth-semester psychological sciences and communications major, will study in the multicultural psychology program at The Umbra Institute, in Perugia, Italy, this summer.
Ama Kissi, an eighth-semester allied health sciences major, will go to Florence, Italy, to study the Mediterranean diet and Tuscan cuisine this summer.
Deon Portes, a sixth-semester individualized crime, law and inequality major, will study in Heredia, Costa Rica, in the spring semester.
Sidratul Muntaha is a political science major with a human rights minor who will study at the Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, this summer. Muntaha said he is excited to use his service project to specifically encourage other students of color to apply for this scholarship and pursue study abroad.
“I want to create a space where other first-gen students of color can see that study abroad is possible for them too. I’m excited to use my experience at Yonsei to show that international education isn’t just for a select few — it’s for all of us,” Muntaha said.