Gilman winners
Two UD students study abroad with help of prestigious Gilman Scholarship
11:18 a.m., Feb. 26, 2015--Ayanna Gill and Jaylen Wingfield are two of the latest University of Delaware students to pursue opportunities for education abroad with the help of the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program.
An esteemed scholarship organization that aims to diversify the American education abroad experience, the Gilman program funds undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to seek study and intern opportunities in less-traveled areas of the world.
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For both Gill and Wingfield, the Gilman Scholarship provided the opportunity to explore Barbados as part of a service-based UD Department of Human Development and Family Studies and Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management study abroad program.
In Barbados, Gill spent most of her days teaching four- to six-year-olds at Sharon Primary School, where she learned first-hand about poverty as it relates to the education and development of young children.
She also immersed herself in the culture by frequenting local hot-spots and delved deeply into her family history by touring historic heritage sites. In her blog, Gill wrote “Being in Barbados has been a life-changing and eye-opening cultural experience.”
As part of the same UD study abroad program, Wingfield helped spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, and learned about the role of Bajan social workers in a placement with the National HIV/AIDS Commission of Barbados.
In a blog entry he wrote, “This is ideal for me because I am considering a career in the social work field… I have gotten a firsthand look at what an HIV/AIDS social worker in Barbados does on a day to day basis. I have been able to observe the client-professional interaction up close, and I have even been allowed to do some hands-on work…”
For both students, study abroad was a priority, as it provided the unique opportunity to expand their cultural and educational horizons. “Study abroad was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go to UD,” said Gill “The first in study abroad programs, that really hooked me right then and there.”
But for making their inspiring experiences a reality, both recognize the value of the Gilman Scholarship Program. “I am thankful because not many people get an opportunity like this,” said Wingfield.
Students interested in applying for the scholarship should check their eligibility on the Gilman Scholarship website, and attend an interest meeting in Room 202 Old College on one of the following dates and times:
- Thursday, Feb. 26, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
- Monday, March 9, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 17, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
For more information on study abroad at UD and how to apply for other scholarship opportunities for education abroad, visit the Institute for Global Studies (IGS) website or stop by IGS at Elliott Hall (26 East Main Street) on Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. for open advising hours.
Article by Nikki Laws and Lizzy Adams