Seven Syracuse University students received scholarship funds to study abroad this semester, a five-person increase from 2012.

The students received a total of $32,500 in funds from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program to study abroad in Florence, London, Madrid, Beijing and Istanbul, said Mary Fedorko, counselor for the Istanbul, Beijing and Hong Kong study abroad programs.

The Gilman scholarship program awards up to $5,000 for a semester abroad, and considers students studying “critical languages,” such as Mandarin Chinese, Russian or Turkish, for an additional $3,000 scholarship, Fedorko said.

Fedorko credits the increase in students awarded scholarships to the university’s increased efforts to make students aware of the program. Fedorko said the Gilman program is great and has a very high success rate.

“One out of three people who apply for the grant get it, and we need more SU students to apply,” she said.

The scholarships are usually awarded to students who are underrepresented in study abroad programs, including those with financial needs, those of diverse ethnic backgrounds, first-generation college students, community college students and students with disabilities.

“The purpose of the Gilman scholarship is to try to get U.S. students out in the world, students who would normally not go, and the most common reason that keeps people from going abroad are finances,” Fedorko said.

Students who major in math, sciences or engineering don’t usually participate in study abroad as much as students in other majors, Fedorko said. The scholarships also try to help students who plan to go to non-traditional destinations, such as places outside of Western Europe and Australia, she said.

Abbey MacLachlan, a senior German language, literature, and culture major, is currently studying in Istanbul thanks to the Gilman scholarship.

“The Gilman Scholarship was such a blessing, there is no way I would have been able to afford a semester abroad without their generous contribution,” she said in an email.

In the case of Harris Leung, a junior political science and international relations major studying abroad in Beijing, the Gilman scholarship criteria fit well because his studies focus on the Asia-Pacific region. While abroad, Leung is taking Mandarin Chinese and, as a Chinese-American, said he was able to understand his cultural heritage better.

Both MacLachlan and Leung praised the efforts of the SU Abroad staff for making them aware of and encouraging them to apply for the Gilman scholarship.

In addition to the Gilman program, the SU staff makes students aware of other financial resources to study abroad. In MacLachlan’s case, she received additional scholarship assistance from SU, while Leung also received the Freeman-ASIA award.

Fedorko said she recognizes many students need financial assistance to study abroad, but that it shouldn’t be a hindrance to do so.

“There are all different kinds of scholarships out there,” she said. “Go online and Google ‘scholarships.’”

Published on February 12, 2013 at 10:07 pm

Contact Jonell: jabright@syr.edu