Sarah Bussard, Jose Garcia Cintora and Ebunoluwa Olawole have been named the University of Delaware’s newest Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship recipients and have taken flight for their very first study abroad programs.

The Gilman Scholarship program, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, awards competitive grants to students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad.

Bussard, a sophomore Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Animal Biosciences major, is studying abroad in New Zealand with the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, where the group will explore the country’s agricultural industry through meetings and site visits with farmers, entrepreneurs and other professionals in the field.

“I chose to participate in this program because it will give me new insight into animal care and animal management practices around the world, which of course is important for pre-Veterinary Studies majors,” said Bussard. “Also, it will give me a more well-rounded college experience overall.”

Garcia Cintora, a senior Human Services major, has traveled abroad as part of the South Africa Human Development and Family Sciences program, where he will fulfill his major’s experiential learning requirement and learn about the country’s most pressing social issues by serving in a local organization.

Garcia Cintora said that his experience abroad will be particularly valuable as he looks forward to a career in Student Affairs.

“This program will provide me with a very different experience in a different culture than what I am used to,” he said. “To be able to serve students on campus, I will need to be familiar with being in an uncomfortable situation. I think this will help me relate to international students or others who are coming from a different part of the country for the first time.”

Olawole, a Biology and Psychology double major, also recognizes that her study abroad experience will be an integral step in her preparation for a career in medicine.

“My goal is to be a doctor and many people in the U.S. speak Spanish. It will be an added benefit for me to be able to break the language barrier,” she said. “I am originally from Nigeria and I understand what it is like to speak a different language than everyone else. It is difficult to give someone quality care if you don’t understand what they are saying.”

Olawole is participating in a Winter Session program to Costa Rica with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

Paying It Forward

A hallmark of the Gilman Scholarship, awardees are asked to conclude their experience by coming home to help other undergraduate students realize their study abroad aspirations.

Each of the winners will return to UD to share their advice within their respective circles. For Olawole, her efforts will focus on breaking down barriers to study abroad for her peers in STEM fields.

“I am a Pre-Med student and there is a misconception that we cannot study abroad because of the courses we need to take,” Olawole said. “It is true that you must fulfill some requirements here at UD, but you can take courses in another language or even an ethics class. It is an experience that makes you unique.”

Garcia Cintora said he will infuse what he has learned into his role as a Resident Assistant.

“When I was thinking of my project, I was kind of basing it around what influence I have on campus,” he said. “I’m an RA for first-year students and the first thing I will do is to inform my own residents of the many opportunities, including Gilman, that are available to them to help fund study abroad.”

Undergraduate Pell Grant recipients planning to study abroad during Fall 2018 have until March 6 to submit an application for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Those interested in applying are encouraged to contact study abroad coordinator Alex Lindsay.

Follow Along

More than 1,000 undergraduate students will spend their Winter Session as a part of 50 UD domestic and travel study programs. Follow along @UDGlobal on Instagram and Twitter, read the UDAbroad blog and engage using the hashtag #UDAbroad.

About the Institute for Global Studies

The Institute for Global Studies was created in 2009 to enhance the international dimensions of teaching, research and outreach at the University of Delaware. IGS provides leadership and support for programs and experiences that contribute to the education of informed, skilled, open-minded citizens of the world.

Best known for coordinating the University’s study abroad program, IGS also awards scholarships and grants to faculty and students for a number of global opportunities, and administers internationally-recognized State Department-sponsored programs such as the UD Fulbright Initiative, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Student Leaders Institute, Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for Young African Leaders, and most recently the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership (SUSI-WL) program.

IGS sponsors such signature events as Global Month each fall and country-specific celebrations each spring.

IGS collaborates with other global partners on campus, including the Office for International Students and Scholars, the Confucius Institute and the Center for Global and Area Studies. In addition, IGS partners with Enrollment Management to coordinate the UD World Scholars Program.