UNC Greensboro’s International Programs Center is proud to announce that 13 UNCG students were among the 2,386 American undergraduate students selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad. An additional four UNCG students were listed as alternates and will receive the award if there are recipients who decline.
The Congressionally funded Gilman Program broadens the U.S. student population studying and interning abroad by providing scholarships to outstanding undergraduate Pell Grant recipients. Since the program’s establishment in 2001, over 1,300 U.S. institutions have sent more than 28,000 Gilman Scholars who represent the rich diversity of the United States to 145 countries around the globe.
UNCG has a strong history of Gilman awardees, with 143 recipients receiving over $475,000 in scholarship funds to put toward study abroad programs since the fall of 2012. This year, UNCG was ranked 37th nationally out of 548 institutions by number of Gilman Scholars awarded, and second out of all other colleges and universities in the Carolinas.
This ranking puts UNCG in the 93rd percentile for Gilman producing institutions.
“I am so proud of all the students who applied, received, and are shortlisted for the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman award,” said Dr. Maria Anastasiou, associate provost for international programs. “Study abroad remains one of the most important high impact learning practices in higher education. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has put a temporary halt on student travel, there is no substitute for the experiential learning that takes place on a study abroad program. The IPC team is ready to support students’ global learning through different methods until travel resumes.”
The Gilman awards are made in two cycles. Cycle 1 is for spring and summer programs. Cycle 2 is for summer, fall, and academic year programs. Below are the recently announced Cycle 2 recipients.
Gilman Cycle 2 Recipients
Summer 2020
Celeste Cervantes, Peru
Queen Huntley, Italy
Keyla Marquez Vergel, Spain
Daisy Martinez-Villanueva, South Korea
Bonnie Zhang, Spain
Fall 2020
Alyssa Coy, Canada
Olivia Ellis, South Korea
German Munoz-Lopez, Spain
Selena Polk, Uruguay
Tatyanna Sanders, South Africa
Kyleigh Yow, Spain
Spring 2021
Rachel Parker, Taiwan
Sha’re Strachan, South Korea
Gilman Cycle 2 Alternates
Summer 2020
Malanah Hobgood, Italy
Jade Lyons, France
Tanner Thornton, Peru
Sofia Robinson, Italy
Most Gilman Scholars are studying abroad on exchange programs at UNCG partner institutions. Three Gilman Scholars are participating in UNCG faculty-led study abroad programs. For a full list of Gilman recipients, visit gilmanscholarship.org.
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and the suspension of student international travel for Fall 2020, Gilman Scholars are able to defer their awards to fund in-person opportunities in 2021 or virtual opportunities for the coming semester.
To learn more about the International Programs Center or to support global opportunities for UNCG students, visit international.uncg.edu.