July 11, 2018

Three students were awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, enabling them to study in Japan and the United Kingdom during the fall semester.

Only about 25 percent of semester program applicants receive an award. Susquehanna University has a dedicated program in place to identify and nurture potential scholarship applicants.

The Gilman program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs.

Scholarship recipients gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies—making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.

Susquehanna’s recipients who will study abroad this fall are:

  • Mikaela Follmer, a senior biology major from Danville, Pa., at the University of Sterling, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • Samantha Seminara, a junior computer science major from North Middletown, N.J., at Senshu University, Tokyo, Japan
  • Daniel Yim, a junior business administration major from Warrington, Pa., also at Senshu University, Tokyo, Japan

“My motivation for improving and learning the Japanese language is due to my interest in Japanese culture and my aspiration to work in the Japanese tech industry as a data analyst,” Yim said.

Seminara has similar plans.

“So much of the world’s technology comes from Japan, and many of the companies in the USA have either businesses in Japan or partnerships with other businesses in Japan,” she said. “Being able to communicate with a team that is multilingual is the key to success.”

Follmer hopes to attend medical school after graduation.

“In medicine, every situation is different, because every patient is different, and you never stop learning,” Follmer said. “I cannot imagine doing anything else every day of my life, despite the challenges.”

In addition to the Gilman, Susquehanna students have also received the following coveted scholarship awards over the past few years:

 

  • Fulbright
  • AmeriCorps
  • Peace Corps
  • TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France)
  • CBYX (Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange, Germany)