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Five ASU students receive Gilman scholarships to study abroad


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January 02, 2015

Five Arizona State University undergraduates have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad.

The students are among 800 American undergraduate students from 356 college and universities across the U.S. to receive the scholarship, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The scholarship will allow the students to study abroad during the spring 2015 semester.

The recipients are:

• Joseph Cheng, an anthropology major, who received $5,000 to study in Taiwan
• Gabriela Jimenez, an honors student majoring in nutrition and French, who received $4,000 to study in France
• Michael Kim, an honors student majoring in biophysics, who received $2,000 to study in Canada
• Karen Mier, an honors student majoring in psychology, who received $5,000 to study in Argentina
• Cristian Payan, who received $4,500 to study in the United Kingdom

Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The program aims to diversify the ranks of students who study and intern 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 a career-oriented international internship for academic credit are eligible to apply. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies – making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.

Congressman Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the Hours Foreign Relations Committee, said, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. 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. 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 contributors, rather than spectators in the international community.”

The program is administered by the Institute of International Education.

According to Allan Goodman, president and CEO of the institute, “International education is one of the best tools for developing mutual understanding and building connections between people from different countries. 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.”

The Gilman Scholarship Program is one of many study abroad opportunities for which ASU students can apply. ASU students can study abroad through over 250 programs in more than 55 countries facilitated by the Study Abroad Office. More information can be found at http://studyabroad.asu.edu.

The Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarship Advisement, housed at Barrett, the Honors College at ASU, assists students from all ASU campuses in preparing to compete for national and international awards of merit, including the Gilman, Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, Fulbright, Truman, Goldwater, Carnegie Jr. Fellows, NSF, Udall, National Security Education Program, Killam and Woodrow Wilson scholarships. Since 1991, office-directed students have won more than 427 major national awards worth millions of dollars in external funding. In several competitions, ASU ranks among the top schools in the United States. For more information about the office visit http://barretthonors.asu.edu/academics/scholarships-and-fellowships/.