¹û¶³´«Ã½

Five University of North Georgia (¹û¶³´«Ã½) students have been selected as recipients in December. The scholarships help students study or intern abroad. A total of 1,600 scholarships were awarded from the 7,100 applications.

"Gilman has selected ¹û¶³´«Ã½ students from across campuses and majors, which truly highlights the rich makeup of our university. Our students really are the best of the best. They're future leaders, and the Gilman Program is a huge step in their journey to success," Dr. Brittany Barron, coordinator of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, said.

Roberto "Tony" Arroyo is currently in Japan. He's a sophomore from Gainesville, Georgia, and is pursuing a degree in finance with a minor in Japanese. He is looking forward to a career in international business. It has been a childhood dream to visit Japan, and when he was accepted into the Modern Japan Program at Nanzan University, he worried about financing the experience. He took on two part-time jobs and sold his car, but feared he'd still not accumulate the funds.

"That's when I received an email saying I won the Gilman Scholarship. Every stress I had on my finances was washed away in an instant," he said. "It has only been a few days since I arrived, and with each passing day, I'm learning something new about the language and the people. This trip made me realize what I am capable of, and I couldn't have any of these new experiences without the backing of the Gilman Scholarship."

Recipient Sydney Griffith, who is pursuing a degree in biology, will be going to Costa Rica this summer as part of the Tropical Cloud Forest Ecology study abroad. She is a junior from Dacula, Georgia. Like all recipients, Griffith said the financial support is welcomed as it provides rare opportunities that will enhance her future academic and employment goals.

"I aspire to work as a wildlife scientist conducting research to aid in vertebrate conservation efforts. I plan to go on to receive my master's, then a Ph.D. in wildlife sciences. Afterward, I would like to conduct research and work in the field to study animal behavior and developing approaches to conservation," Griffith said. "Ultimately, I want to have a job that lets me work in the field to keep researching and learning about animals while helping to protect them."

Esther "Kitty" He,  sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, hopes to teach internationally once she completes her middle grades education degree and believes having international awareness is key. Studying overseas is a great way to get her foot in the door, but it comes at a great cost. Gilman funds will lessen financial worries while she's in Lithuania in the spring, she said.

"The Gilman Program is a diplomatic program, which may include activities such as meeting government officials in my host country. This can be a great way to learn more about my host country and a good resume builder," she said.

Cadet Nevaeh Owen, a freshman pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, will be going to South Korea this summer. She said her experience abroad will be helpful in her career as a commissioned officer.

"This works best with my schedule in order to fulfill graduation requirements and commission on time," she said. "In addition, going abroad will help prepare me for future deployments by experiencing new cultures and the challenges that come with them."

Angela Olguin will head to Peru in the summer. She is pursuing a degree in international affairs with a Latin American concentration with aspirations of becoming a foreign affairs officer.

 "Studying abroad in Peru will definitely help me become a foreign affairs officer. I'll be able to gain a deep understanding of another country's culture, politics and international relations," the freshman from Gainesville, Georgia, said. "Plus, living abroad will give me practical experience in diplomacy and navigating cross-cultural interactions, which are key skills for a foreign affairs officer."