New Paltz students win prestigious Gilman scholarship for spring ’16 study abroad

January 28, 2016 Andrew Bruso

Three SUNY New Paltz students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for study abroad, a highly competitive, federally funded prize awarded by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to undergraduates for academic studies and internships abroad.

The following students will receive up to $5,000 each towards study abroad costs as spring ’16 Gilman scholars:

Mishelle Gonzalez Perez ’19 (Latin American and Caribbean Studies / International Relations), who will study in Costa Rica.
Xiu Ling Chen ’17 (Finance), who will study in China.
Suzanne Traore ’16 (French), who will study in France.

These students completed a lengthy application process with the support of the staff of the Center for International Programs (CIP), which has worked with hundreds of students over the years to secure the funding necessary to make their study abroad dreams a reality. New Paltz students have had noteworthy success with the Gilman Scholarship, having received a combined total of more than $270,000 in Gilman study abroad funding since 2010.

“The staff at the Center for International Programs are very proud of New Paltz students’ success with the Gilman Scholarship,” said Christian Wilwohl, study abroad program director. “Receiving a Gilman Scholarship makes study abroad a reality for students who may not be able to afford the experience otherwise.”

Melly Maldonado - South Korea — *Melly Maldonado ’15 (Psychology) studied abroad in South Korea with the support of a Gilman Scholarship*

The College has earned international acclaim for efforts to help students of limited financial means study abroad through the Gilman scholarship and other similar programs. SUNY New Paltz is a 2015 winner of the IIE’s Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education, which recognized the success of a partnership between the CIP and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) to expand the participation of underrepresented students in study abroad by offering advising, tutoring services and study abroad information sessions to EOP students. One Gilman recipient among this semester’s group of awardees, Mishelle Gonzalez Perez, is also an EOP student.

Students with an interest in learning more about the Gilman Scholarship and about study abroad can visit the Center for International Programs – Study Abroad online. Additional details about the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship can be found at the website of the IIE.