August 05, 2020
Two Susquehanna University students were awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, giving them the opportunity to study in France and Italy sometime during 2021.
Kayla Bush ’22, a double major in creative writing and publishing and editing from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was awarded her Gilman to the IAU School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Aix-en-Provence, France.
“I want to be immersed as much as possible into the country that I have admired from a distance for their contribution to the arts,” Bush said. “Because of my interest in French literature, the IAU School of Humanities and Social Sciences will be the best fit to foster my understanding in the art of writing, allowing me to come back to my writing and publishing courses at Susquehanna with a fresh perspective.”
Molly Ingram ’21, from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, was awarded her Gilman to Temple University’s Rome Campus. Ingram is a sociology major with minors in philosophy and women and gender studies. In Rome, she hopes to learn more about women’s health and access to healthcare.
“Women’s health and access to healthcare is where my passions lie,” Ingram said. “I see myself with a career in family planning in the future, and this makes Italy an intriguing destination because of its low birth rate. Italy’s birth rate has been dropping rapidly and is currently at its lowest ever.”
Only about 25 percent of semester program applicants receive an award. More than 25 Susquehanna students have been awarded the scholarship since 2015. The university has a dedicated program in place to identify and mentor students throughout the application process for Gilman and other prestigious scholarships.
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables U.S. students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001. 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.