Meet One of our Spring 2013 Gilman Scholarship Recipients

What is your major?  Why did you choose this major?

I am a senior transfer student who switched from an English major to International Relations and Asian Studies combined major with English and Chinese minors. I originally picked an English major because I wanted to be an ESL instructor, but I changed to an International Relations major because of my passion for multicultural exchange and diverse learning environments.

Where will you be going abroad, what will you be doing there and how will it impact your academics & life goals?

I will be spending the spring semester in Asan, South Korea at Soonchunhyang University. Soonchunhyang is known for its exchange program that excels in Asian Studies courses. Classes like “Political Thought in Developing  Nations” and “Human Rights in  a Global World” are taught by instructors that have amazing experience in their fields. One of my instructors was the previous Korean ambassador to Pakistan.  These classes and others will give me the opportunity to study a wider range of IR issues with perspectives that are unique to East Asia. As a large part of my studies in Asian culture and politics, understanding language is very important. 

The University of Arkansas has excellent Chinese and Japanese language programs with many courses that also cover political and cultural aspects as well. However, Korean topics are largely absent from our instruction. This is a big reason why the U of A exchange with Soonchunhyang is so valuable. I was encouraged by many peers and faculty here at UA to seek out study abroad opportunities that would be able to provide broader academic growth than what any single domestic university could provide. The academic support structure here at the UofA, like these international university partnerships, is what really motivated me to choose this campus over any other Arkansas university. 

What are some of the more unique/interesting details of your study abroad program?

 The Soonchunhyang exchange program includes a really innovative cultural ambassadorship opportunity for its incoming exchange students.  The ambassadorship allows the students to spend a great amount of time with domestic students by participation in group activities that help everyone develop deeper relationships and learn about each other’s culture first-hand. The experience begins with the housing. Students share a 12 person suite composed of 1 international student and 11 domestic students. Being able to live in this immersive environment helps the international student to learn much more of the Korean language, social customs, etc. Also, this gives the Korean students the chance to study English with a native speaker in a very casual and productive way.

What is most exciting to you about going abroad?  

Getting the opportunity to study Korean language, East Asian politics, and minority issues from within Asia by professional diplomats and international business consultants is a priceless opportunity for sure, but I think I am most excited about the follow-up project I have planned to do right after my term at Soonchunhyang. 

At the end of the semester, I will travel to a remote town in mainland China where I will volunteer at a small and impoverished school for the children left behind by migrant workers. The rapid globalization of China’s economy has displaced workers and created migrations of labor to industrial centers, leaving many small towns with only the aged and the very young left remaining. WCOB Business student Lily Jin began a fundraising program here at the UA for the school last semester, and while I am there I will be able to interview the students and community members to see how the money my fellow students raised for them is affecting their situation. We hope to use these pictures, videos, etc. to raise even greater awareness of the struggle these children are facing and continue fundraising activities upon my return.  This rewarding project not only has features reflecting IR, Asian Studies, Chinese language, minority issues, and teaching across cultures, but also has the potential to create significant change in the lives of a faltering and underprivileged community.

What does earning this scholarship mean to you? 

 Receiving the Gilman scholarship really does mean everything to me. When I transferred to UARK, I had no intention of studying abroad at all because I mistakenly thought that I would never be able to afford it. After finding out about the Gilman scholarship and its generous awards, I finally saw the plausibility of going abroad. With growing student loans, rent, and all the other costs of being a college student, I honestly would not have been able to consider this extraordinary opportunity at all. 

Applying for the Gilman Scholarship was intimidating at first just because I was so worried about the possibility of not doing something correctly and missing this chance. After registering on the website and starting the process though, I really became much more relieved. The process is so streamlined and easy to use that I had no problems at all! There is a great outline of all the required information and documents provided at all times so you can visually follow your progress through the entire application. The hardest part was the statement of purpose essay. I was understandably nervous even to begin the essay because I knew that it would have the greatest bearing on if I actually got the scholarship or not. I started to search the internet for inspiration and advice, and found tons of great resources!  Gilman provides essay prompts, interviews with selection committee members, webcasts on strong essay writing points, and lists of common mistakes to avoid. On top of that, I found priceless assistance on our own campus as well. I took my essay to the Quality Writing Center multiple times for review and editing, I got great writing advice from the study abroad office, and I even found other students who had received the Gilman award in the past who could give me suggestions as well!

Knowing that out of thousands of applicants nationwide, I was chosen for the award is incredible! I really feel even further motivated to perform as well as I can in my abroad program because I will be representing not only my home country, but also the Gilman scholars!  After my return, I am very excited to share awareness of the Gilman program with my peers and encourage everyone to apply for this outstanding award. I really can’t express my gratitude for the generosity of the Gilman program and how it has given me a truly life-changing opportunity.

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About the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (http://www.iie.org/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program)  offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.