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University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
UNH International Educator Newsletter Global Education Center
Spring 4-1-2016
Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships Broaden
Cultural and Academic Horizons
UNH Global Education Center
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/international_news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Global Education Center at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It
has been accepted for inclusion in UNH International Educator Newsletter by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars'
Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
UNH Global Education Center, "Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons" (2016). International
Educator: the Newsletter of the UNH Global Engagement. 218.
https://scholars.unh.edu/international_news/218
9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Global
https://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 1/5
UNH Global
Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic
Horizons
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Shannon McGrath '18 (l.) with friends in Ghana
Shannon McGrath ’18, an occupational therapy
major from Lyman, New Hampshire, knew that
she wanted to challenge herself with a di erent
type of study abroad experience than what she
would gain from going to a more traditional
destination. Hoping to learn more about the
diverse ethnic groups, identities, and local
languages in West Africa, she chose a study
abroad program at the University of Ghana in
Legon, Ghana. For her, the University of Ghana
seemed like the perfect fit, given that the
program allowed her not only to gain a new cultural perspective on the themes that she had
explored for her minor in Race & Ethnicity Studies but also to determine whether she would like to
return to the area in the future as a member of the Peace Corps.
The purposeful connections that Shannon drew between her academic interests at UNH, the study
abroad program at the University of Ghana, and her future goals helped her to win a
prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (http://www.unh.edu/fellowships-
o ice/benjamin-gilman-international-scholarship) for the spring 2016 semester along with three
other UNH undergraduate students. Shannon was beyond thrilled to learn that she had received the
scholarship, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and
9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Global
https://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 2/5
Cultural A airs and awards grantees – who must be on Federal Pell Grants – up to $5,000 to apply
towards their study abroad or internship program costs. As the mission of the Gilman Scholarship is
to diversify the students who study and intern abroad (and the countries and regions where they go),
students like Shannon who have demonstrated an interest in truly broadening their cultural and
academic horizons are particularly competitive for the scholarship.
In the last several years, UNH has seen a great increase in the number of undergraduate students
applying to and receiving the Gilman Scholarships due to the committed partnership of the O ice of
National Fellowships, the Center for International Education and Global Engagement, and the COLA
Center for Study Abroad. Ten UNH students received Gilman Scholarships to study or intern abroad
between the summer of 2015 and the spring of 2016, going all over the world to countries like Costa
Rica, Tanzania, China, Senegal, and Russia. This increase in the number of Gilman applicants, as well
as the increased diversity of their chosen study abroad destinations, reflects UNH’s new
international priorities, which include the goal of significantly increasing the annual number of
students studying abroad.
Indeed, for many of UNH’s Gilman Scholars, the experience of studying abroad has been life-
changing. Only a few months into her program in Ghana, Shannon already speaks to how eye-
opening her experience has been, as she has gained a “whole new sense of freedom” and
perspective on everything from cultural norms to human relationships with – and attitudes toward –
technology and the environment. She is also beginning volunteer work in Accra at the New Horizon
Special School, which is a school for individuals with disabilities, and she believes that such
volunteer work will not only give her important practical experience but also o er her the
opportunity to gain insight into the practice of occupational therapy in a new cultural framework.
The experience of studying abroad on a Gilman Scholarship has, importantly, shaped students’
academic and professional trajectories at UNH and beyond. Gabby Aguilera ’15, a Russian and
Justice Studies major, studied in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the summer of 2014 as a Gilman Scholar.
While in Bishkek, she not only served as a Global Experience Blogger for Gilman but also started
teaching English at a language school. As she remarked, “In a twist of fate, I realized that I absolutely
loved (teaching).” Inspired by her experience in Kyrgyzstan, she applied – and was selected – for a
Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant, and she is now teaching English in the Republic
of Georgia.
9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Global
https://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 3/5
Cory McKenzie '15 in Japan
 
Another UNH ’15 alum and Gilman Scholar Cory
McKenzie spent his senior year at Saitama
University in Saitama, Japan, where he studied
Japanese language and literature, read
historical Japanese texts for his research, and
visited historic sites. His deep interest in
Japanese culture, politics, and history led him
to be selected for the prestigious Junior Fellows
Program of the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace in Washington, D.C.,
following his graduation from UNH. Working as a
research assistant on the Japan Studies project,
Cory has written research papers on the history of the U.S.-Japanese alliance since the end of the
Cold War that will be used by the Carnegie’s senior associates. For both Gabby and Cory, their study
abroad experiences shaped their professional aspirations while also making them more competitive
for such prestigious fellowships as the Fulbright and the Carnegie Junior Fellows program.
Gilman Scholars share a desire to further promote the importance of international experiences
among their peers, thereby inspiring others to take advantage of similar opportunities for personal,
academic, and professional growth. Upon their return from study abroad, Gilman Scholars are
required to carry out a follow-on service project in order to promote international education and the
Gilman Scholarship. These projects vary, but they all seek to encourage students who might think
that study abroad is not an option for them due to particular financial, personal, or academic factors
to see international experiences as a feasible – and important – pursuit. While in Saitama, Cory kept
a blog for the Reach the World program and was also paired with a high school class in Nebraska,
with whom he shared his experiences and research interests over Skype. A er Cory found an English
translation of the story of the legendary Japanese hero Yuriwaka, the high school teacher assigned it
to her class for reading. As Cory bemusedly remarks, “It was very exciting to see Yuriwaka appear in a
Nebraska high school’s curriculum!” Through projects like Cory’s, the Gilman Scholarship Program
aims to reach and inspire other students to study abroad and consider more nontraditional
destinations.
9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Global
https://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 4/5
Tags: Gilman (/global/tags/gilman)
Countries: Ghana (/global/country/gh)
Japan (/global/country/jp)
Cory, Gabby, and now Shannon all express their gratitude for how study abroad – with the support of
the Gilman Scholarship – has furthered their professional development, deepened their cultural
understanding, and positively altered their worldview. They represent an increasing number of UNH
students who see the great benefits in not only studying abroad but also following their passion
wherever it takes them. Most certainly, their future is international in scope.
News & Events (/global/news-and-events)
News (/global/news)
Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons (/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-
academic-horizons)
Calendar of Events (http://calendar.unh.edu)
Events Around the Seacoast Area (/global/events-around-seacoast-area)
Buddies Without Borders (/global/buddies-without-borders)
NH International Seminar (/global/nh-international-seminar)
Newsletter - UNH International Educator (/global/unh-international-educator)
Social Media (/global/social-media)
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & SCHOLARS
  Conant Hall 315 
10 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824
  603.862.1288
  oiss@unh.edu (mailto:oiss@unh.edu)
  (https://www.facebook.com/UNHOISS)     (https://www.linkedin.com/groups?
home=&gid=7499513&trk=anet_ug_hm)
EDUCATION ABROAD / GLOBAL INITIATIVES 
9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Global
https://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 5/5
  Conant Hall 310 
10 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824
  603.862.2398
  study.abroad@unh.edu (mailto:study.abroad@unh.edu)
  (https://twitter.com/UNHAbroad)      (https://www.instagram.com/unhabroad/)    
(https://www.snapchat.com/add/unhabroad)       (https://www.facebook.com/UNHAbroad/)     
(http://www.youtube.com/UNHCIE223)       (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?
mostPopular=&gid=3405325)       (https://www.pinterest.com/unhcie/)
CONTACT/EMERGENCY (/GLOBAL/CONTACT-US)
 
FAQS (/GLOBAL/FAQS)
 
DONATE (HTTPS://SECURELB.IMODULES.COM/S/1518/GIVING/FORM.ASPX?
SID=1518&GID=2&PGID=1026&CID=2015&DIDS=165.73&SORT=1)
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Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryUNH International Educator Newsletter Global Education CenterSpring 4-1-2016Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships BroadenCultural and Academic HorizonsUNH Global Education CenterFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/international_newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Global Education Center at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. Ithas been accepted for inclusion in UNH International Educator Newsletter by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars'Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationUNH Global Education Center, "Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons" (2016). InternationalEducator: the Newsletter of the UNH Global Engagement. 218.https://scholars.unh.edu/international_news/2189/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Globalhttps://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 1/5UNH GlobalGilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and AcademicHorizonsTuesday, March 1, 2016Shannon McGrath '18 (l.) with friends in GhanaShannon McGrath ’18, an occupational therapymajor from Lyman, New Hampshire, knew thatshe wanted to challenge herself with a di erenttype of study abroad experience than what shewould gain from going to a more traditionaldestination. Hoping to learn more about thediverse ethnic groups, identities, and locallanguages in West Africa, she chose a studyabroad program at the University of Ghana inLegon, Ghana. For her, the University of Ghanaseemed like the perfect fit, given that theprogram allowed her not only to gain a new cultural perspective on the themes that she hadexplored for her minor in Race & Ethnicity Studies but also to determine whether she would like toreturn to the area in the future as a member of the Peace Corps.The purposeful connections that Shannon drew between her academic interests at UNH, the studyabroad program at the University of Ghana, and her future goals helped her to win aprestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (http://www.unh.edu/fellowships-o ice/benjamin-gilman-international-scholarship) for the spring 2016 semester along with threeother UNH undergraduate students. Shannon was beyond thrilled to learn that she had received thescholarship, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Globalhttps://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 2/5Cultural A airs and awards grantees – who must be on Federal Pell Grants – up to $5,000 to applytowards their study abroad or internship program costs. As the mission of the Gilman Scholarship isto diversify the students who study and intern abroad (and the countries and regions where they go),students like Shannon who have demonstrated an interest in truly broadening their cultural andacademic horizons are particularly competitive for the scholarship.In the last several years, UNH has seen a great increase in the number of undergraduate studentsapplying to and receiving the Gilman Scholarships due to the committed partnership of the O ice ofNational Fellowships, the Center for International Education and Global Engagement, and the COLACenter for Study Abroad. Ten UNH students received Gilman Scholarships to study or intern abroadbetween the summer of 2015 and the spring of 2016, going all over the world to countries like CostaRica, Tanzania, China, Senegal, and Russia. This increase in the number of Gilman applicants, as wellas the increased diversity of their chosen study abroad destinations, reflects UNH’s newinternational priorities, which include the goal of significantly increasing the annual number ofstudents studying abroad.Indeed, for many of UNH’s Gilman Scholars, the experience of studying abroad has been life-changing. Only a few months into her program in Ghana, Shannon already speaks to how eye-opening her experience has been, as she has gained a “whole new sense of freedom” andperspective on everything from cultural norms to human relationships with – and attitudes toward –technology and the environment. She is also beginning volunteer work in Accra at the New HorizonSpecial School, which is a school for individuals with disabilities, and she believes that suchvolunteer work will not only give her important practical experience but also o er her theopportunity to gain insight into the practice of occupational therapy in a new cultural framework.The experience of studying abroad on a Gilman Scholarship has, importantly, shaped students’academic and professional trajectories at UNH and beyond. Gabby Aguilera ’15, a Russian andJustice Studies major, studied in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the summer of 2014 as a Gilman Scholar.While in Bishkek, she not only served as a Global Experience Blogger for Gilman but also startedteaching English at a language school. As she remarked, “In a twist of fate, I realized that I absolutelyloved (teaching).” Inspired by her experience in Kyrgyzstan, she applied – and was selected – for aFulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant, and she is now teaching English in the Republicof Georgia.9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Globalhttps://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 3/5Cory McKenzie '15 in Japan Another UNH ’15 alum and Gilman Scholar CoryMcKenzie spent his senior year at SaitamaUniversity in Saitama, Japan, where he studiedJapanese language and literature, readhistorical Japanese texts for his research, andvisited historic sites. His deep interest inJapanese culture, politics, and history led himto be selected for the prestigious Junior FellowsProgram of the Carnegie Endowment forInternational Peace in Washington, D.C.,following his graduation from UNH. Working as aresearch assistant on the Japan Studies project,Cory has written research papers on the history of the U.S.-Japanese alliance since the end of theCold War that will be used by the Carnegie’s senior associates. For both Gabby and Cory, their studyabroad experiences shaped their professional aspirations while also making them more competitivefor such prestigious fellowships as the Fulbright and the Carnegie Junior Fellows program.Gilman Scholars share a desire to further promote the importance of international experiencesamong their peers, thereby inspiring others to take advantage of similar opportunities for personal,academic, and professional growth. Upon their return from study abroad, Gilman Scholars arerequired to carry out a follow-on service project in order to promote international education and theGilman Scholarship. These projects vary, but they all seek to encourage students who might thinkthat study abroad is not an option for them due to particular financial, personal, or academic factorsto see international experiences as a feasible – and important – pursuit. While in Saitama, Cory kepta blog for the Reach the World program and was also paired with a high school class in Nebraska,with whom he shared his experiences and research interests over Skype. A er Cory found an Englishtranslation of the story of the legendary Japanese hero Yuriwaka, the high school teacher assigned itto her class for reading. As Cory bemusedly remarks, “It was very exciting to see Yuriwaka appear in aNebraska high school’s curriculum!” Through projects like Cory’s, the Gilman Scholarship Programaims to reach and inspire other students to study abroad and consider more nontraditionaldestinations.9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Globalhttps://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 4/5Tags: Gilman (/global/tags/gilman)Countries: Ghana (/global/country/gh)Japan (/global/country/jp)Cory, Gabby, and now Shannon all express their gratitude for how study abroad – with the support ofthe Gilman Scholarship – has furthered their professional development, deepened their culturalunderstanding, and positively altered their worldview. They represent an increasing number of UNHstudents who see the great benefits in not only studying abroad but also following their passionwherever it takes them. Most certainly, their future is international in scope.News & Events (/global/news-and-events)News (/global/news)Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons (/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons)Calendar of Events (http://calendar.unh.edu)Events Around the Seacoast Area (/global/events-around-seacoast-area)Buddies Without Borders (/global/buddies-without-borders)NH International Seminar (/global/nh-international-seminar)Newsletter - UNH International Educator (/global/unh-international-educator)Social Media (/global/social-media)OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & SCHOLARS  Conant Hall 315 10 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824  603.862.1288  oiss@unh.edu (mailto:oiss@unh.edu)  (https://www.facebook.com/UNHOISS)     (https://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=7499513&trk=anet_ug_hm)EDUCATION ABROAD / GLOBAL INITIATIVES 9/24/2018 Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons | UNH Globalhttps://www.unh.edu/global/gilman-scholarships-broaden-cultural-and-academic-horizons 5/5  Conant Hall 310 10 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824  603.862.2398  study.abroad@unh.edu (mailto:study.abroad@unh.edu)  (https://twitter.com/UNHAbroad)      (https://www.instagram.com/unhabroad/)    (https://www.snapchat.com/add/unhabroad)       (https://www.facebook.com/UNHAbroad/)     (http://www.youtube.com/UNHCIE223)       (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3405325)       (https://www.pinterest.com/unhcie/)CONTACT/EMERGENCY (/GLOBAL/CONTACT-US)  FAQS (/GLOBAL/FAQS)  DONATE (HTTPS://SECURELB.IMODULES.COM/S/1518/GIVING/FORM.ASPX?SID=1518&GID=2&PGID=1026&CID=2015&DIDS=165.73&SORT=1)UNH.EDU (HTTP://UNH.EDU)Copyright © 2018  •  TTY Users: 7-1-1 or 800-735-2964 (Relay NH) USNH Privacy Policies (http://www.usnh.edu/legal/privacy.shtml)  •  USNH Terms of Use (http://www.usnh.edu/legal/tou.shtml)  •  ADAAcknowledgement (http://www.unh.edu/about/ada.html)

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Spring 2016, Gilman Scholarships Broaden Cultural and Academic Horizons

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