Nine FSU students earn Gilman Scholarships to study abroad

Nine Florida State University students received the opportunity to study abroad this spring and summer as part of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

The Gilman Scholarship is awarded by the U.S. Department of State and gives students the opportunity to study or intern in foreign countries. The internship emphasizes students learning the language and culture of their host country with the aim of preparing individuals for a globalized world.

Jesse Weiland, associate director of the Office of National Fellowships, said the Gilman Scholarship is an especially flexible program that allows students to tailor their experience toward their interests, education and career goals.

“What’s really nice about the Gilman is that it’s adaptable to the students’ interests and their research allowing them to align with internships, studies or other cultural exchange opportunities,” he said. “Some of the more popular experiences our students pursue are service opportunities, taking classes at other opportunities and extracurriculars and internships that align with their interests.”

The Gilman Scholarship program was founded in 2001 and is named after the late Benjamin Gilman, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years and chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee. The scholarship enables American students to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures, skills that are critically important to their academic and career development. More than 28,000 students have taken part in the program since its inception.

Tina Lu, a general music major who is also working toward a specialization in piano pedagogy, will head to Prague in the Czech Republic on her Gilman Scholarship. Lu said she is thrilled at the opportunity to pursue her interest in music on another continent and that the experience is already broadening her perspective.

“Just writing the application for the scholarship helped straighten out and clarify some of the thoughts I had about my work over the coming years,” said Lu, who leaves for Prague in July. “It really helped me synthesize what kind of approach I want to take in the future in making music in teaching it and in being a researcher.”

For more information, visit the Office of National Fellowships at https://onf.fsu.edu/.

Florida State’s 2022 Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship winners, their hometowns, majors and where they’ll study abroad, are:

Jaleen Bedminster
Orlando, FL, business management, South Korea

Juliana Cano
Miami, FL, English, Spain

Nyla Chute
Clewiston, FL, exercise physiology, Kenya

Priscila Fernandez
Palm Beach Gardens, FL, communication and media studies, South Korea

Gabriela Gavranic dos Reis
Deerfield Beach, FL, international affairs, France

Lauren Kelton
Hollywood, FL, psychology, England

Tina Lu
Orlando, FL, music, Czech Republic

Jasmine Rubio
Miami, FL, biological science, Spain

Roshelle Thompson
Fort Lauderdale, FL, psychology, Spain