Samantha Gonzales, a UMKC student majoring in Psychology, and Juan Bettancourt Garcia, a UMKC History and Spanish major, were among the more than 1,000 American undergraduate students selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Both will study in Spain during the summer 2015 academic term.

Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward study abroad or internship program costs. The program aims to diversify the students who study abroad and the countries where they go.  Students receiving a Federal Pell Grant who will be studying abroad or participating in an international internship for academic credit are eligible to apply. Recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages, and economies — making them better prepared to assume leadership roles in government or the private sector.

Congressman Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years, commented, “Study abroad is a special experience…Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience.  It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

Students interested in studying abroad should contact UMKC International Academic Programs Office, located in the Atterbury Student Success Center.