(Posted May 27, 2021)

Provided by Rebekah Ford '19

Provided by Rebekah Ford '19

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Nine Juniata College students have received Gilman Scholarships to study abroad during the upcoming school year. 

Amelia Junga ’22 of Carlisle, Pa., and Ellie Strait ’23 of Greencastle, Pa., will study in the United Kingdom; Eva Curlee ’22 of Oakmont, Pa., and Sarah Borgardt ’22 of San Luis Obispo, Ca., will study in France; Heather Mitchell ’23 of Lititz, Pa., will study in Hungary; Justinna Brown ’23 of Claysburg, Pa., will study in Taiwan; Lindsey Everett ’23 of Duncansville, Pa., will study in Russia; Sandy Martinez-Luna ’22 of Annandale, Va., will study in New Zealand; and Yamilex Lopez ’22 of Phoenix, Az., will study in Mexico. 

“No one in my immediate family has ever studied abroad or thought about doing it. I have always been hesitant because of financial means. So, when I found out I qualified for the Gilman Scholarship, I took it very seriously,” said Yamilex Lopez. “I knew that this scholarship could be a solution to my hesitancy and an opportunity to expand my intentions of traveling.”

The Gilman Scholarships, named for Benjamin Gilman, a Republican U.S. Representative from New York, offer grants for undergraduate students of limited financial means to study abroad. Scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded every academic year. The scholarship program encourages students to choose non-traditional destinations for their study-abroad experience. For this cycle, 80 selection panelists from colleges and universities across the nation met at IIE offices in Washington D.C., New York, Houston, and San Francisco, to review nearly 2,900 applications. More than 800 students were selected to receive Gilman Scholarships across the U.S.

Juniata’s Center for International Education actively recruits eligible students to make them aware of the Gilman scholarship and similar opportunities. The College’s community then sets to work, supporting students through the application process.

“There are two application cycles, one with a deadline in October and a second in March, depending on when a student will study, such as in winter, spring, summer, fall, or academic year,” said Caitlin Murphy, acting dean of international education.  “Students complete their application and submit a personal statement and follow-on service project proposal. They have to state how the Gilman Scholarship would benefit them personally and academically and describe how the location they have selected will help them achieve their career goals.”

Students are identified based on their eligibility for Pell Grants, which are federal grants for undergraduate students with financial need.

“I am extremely proud of our hardworking students! Nearly every applicant who applied this cycle was selected for this prestigious award among thousands of other applicants nationwide. Juniata students are committed, creative, and have a vision for how they will utilize their study abroad experiences to better connect with their host communities and post-return. They are invested in giving back and sharing their intercultural learning which is the beauty of this award.” 

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.