Two Towson University students are studying abroad this term as recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
Leili Zamini ’15, an Honors College student, is studying in Seville, Spain, while Shereen Ahmed ’15 is in Prague, Czech Republic.
“It is important for me to study abroad, so I can always have an open mind about others around the world,” says Zamini in an email from Seville, where she’s focusing on the language. She is living in home-stay housing, so she can be immersed in the dialect. The chemistry major will start dental school in the fall. “One of my personal goals is to further improve my Spanish language skills in order to successfully care for a broader spectrum of people.”
Ahmed, who was unavailable for interviews, is studying criminal justice. She chose to travel to Prague for several reasons, including affordability, available courses, and volunteer opportunities that would let her connect with local residents and better understand regional inequalities and cultural tolerance. She plans to pursue a career in social work.
The Gilman Scholarship is a congressionally funded program sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Named for a retired congressman who chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee, it was created to open up study abroad opportunities to underfunded students of diverse backgrounds. Recipients must be receiving federal Pell Grant funding.
“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,” the program’s website states. “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 a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”
Kelly Holland, associate director of Towson University’s Study Abroad program, encouraged both Zamini and Ahmed to apply for the Gilman Scholarship.
“Many TU students are interested in finding ways to further support their study abroad program, and the Gilman is a great opportunity to receive significant funding,” Holland says.
The students had to write two essays, upload their academic transcripts, and share what they planned to do in their study abroad in order to apply for the scholarship. Zamini says it took her about 10 hours—work that ended up teaching her something.
“Working on the essays allowed me to clearly understand why I wanted to study abroad, and I was delighted that they took interest in what I had to say.”
Towson is working to offer more study abroad opportunities to more undergraduate students. Those opportunities are partially provided by private donations.
