January and Spring 2020 Gilman Scholarship Recipients

The Center for Global Education and Center for Undergraduate Excellence are pleased to announce that six Chapman students have won the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for January or spring 2020 study abroad, ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 awards. This is the highest number of awards for Chapman University in one application cycle!  A total of 1,413 students from 427 universities across the United States were selected for the Gilman scholarship. Learn where Chapman grantees will be studying abroad and their goals:

Kayla Cho will be studying business at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia. This innovation and global impact campus environment in central Sydney will allow her to meet a community of people with a diverse background who also desire to make a positive global impact. Kayla also plans to get involved with “The Magic Lab,” a UTS’s innovation lab to learn about their approaches to developing a successful company and working alongside like-minded individuals invested in building start-ups. Kayla is also interested in learning about the indigenous cultures of Australia.

Clarissa Cordova is a psychology major and will be studying Spanish in the Spanish Language and Culture Travel Course to Argentina in Interterm 2020. Clarissa plans to immerse herself in the language by learning the culture and everyday language, as well as Argentina’s history, culture, and beauty. Upon return, Clarissa would like to mentor first-generation students and demonstrate to other students understand the importance of studying abroad.

Lorryn McKaig will be studying at the University of Glasgow in Scotland in spring 2020. As a physics major and environmental science minor, Lorryn plans on taking interesting courses such as astronomy to develop a unique background in the STEM field that may set her apart when applying to graduate schools and future jobs in STEM. She also plans in partaking in activities like visiting museums and other historic sites as well as creating meaningful relationships through student organizations and the Glasgow campus community.

Fox Helms will study in photography at the CEA Paris center for his film production major, and French language at the Sorbonne’s Cours de Civilisation Française. Going to Paris will give Fox the opportunity to practice location scouting, intimate cultural immersion, and people skills. Fox plans on living with a host family to have a personal connection with the culture. Fox also plans to create practical video guides to show the French language in context.

Alexis Espinosa will be studying abroad at Temple University Japan in Tokyo and will take medium-specific courses to focus on her art major emphasis in drawing and painting, as well as experiment with digital photography. The campus location and course field trips will also allow Alexis to explore galleries and East Asian art. Alexis will also have the opportunity to continue improving her Japanese language skills. Upon return, Alexis would like to propose workshops to assist first-generation college students in applying for these types of scholarships and financing a study abroad experience.

Megan Li will be studying business and other electives in the spring at City, University of London. Megan is excited to study at a diverse university and expand her network that can be useful for her future career. She is also interested in learning about subjects from a different perspective, such the impact that Brexit will have on the economy.

Twenty-one Chapman students have won the prestigious scholarship in the past three years to Japan, South Africa, Thailand, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, and more. The Center for Global Education and Center for Undergraduate Excellence hold a Gilman Scholarship Workshop for Pell Grant recipients each semester. Contact the Center for Global Education for the next workshop.

The Gilman Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). “The Gilman Program aims to make study abroad, and its career advantages, more accessible and inclusive for American students. These diverse American students gain critical skills overseas that expand their career options and ability to make an impact in their home communities,” said Heidi Manley, the Chief of USA Study Abroad at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program particularly focuses on supporting first-generation college students, students in the STEM fields, ethnic and racial minority students, students with disabilities, students who are veterans, students attending community colleges and minority serving institutions, and other populations underrepresented in study abroad, as well as broadening the destinations where scholars study or intern.