Eight students win Gilman scholarships – press center

Record-breaking eight Montclair State students awarded prestigious U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year, while a ninth student received a Critical Languages ​​scholarship from the State Department.

In addition to a record number of Fulbright semi-finalists and finalists, these prestigious State Department-sponsored awards crown a remarkable year for the University’s study abroad program and the Office of International Academic Initiatives. , headed by director Domenica Dominguez.

The eight Gilman scholarship winners include five that were awarded this spring – Isaiah Ayestas, Kayla Cespedes, Adam Chhour, Daphné Désir and Marguerite Gonzalez – and three which were awarded in December 2020 – Samantha Gerbrick, Karina Bloom and Georgi Naumov.

The US Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship supports international studies for students who might not have been able to do so otherwise. It is open to U.S. citizen undergraduates who receive Federal Pell Grant at a two- or four-year college or university to participate in study and internship abroad programs around the world.

This year marks the highest number of Gilman Scholarships awarded to Montclair State students in any academic year as well as in any application cycle (five as of spring 2021).

“This scholarship will open the door to so many opportunities. I will be able to create a path towards my future career ”, declares Daphne Desire, first year public health student.

Adamn chhour, a junior studying for a BFA in Film, was equally enthusiastic: “This scholarship helps financially my trip to Japan so that I can focus more on the experience and school during my stay instead of thinking about the financial burdens. . “

United States Marine Corps Veteran Karina Bloom wishes to “create a unique path in this new stage of my life by combining education with my love for travel.” With the generous help of the Gilman scholarship, I will be able to study abroad in Spain next year and undertake my first trip as a civilian! I thank the Office of International Academic Initiatives, the Center for Writing Excellence, family and friends for assisting me in this process.

In the event that Gilman Scholarship students are unable to make it to their destination in the fall of 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, they will have the option to defer their scholarships to a later term.

“We are very proud of the efforts these students put into fulfilling their applications and their hard work has clearly paid off. We are delighted to see students from different academic disciplines being awarded this scholarship, and we look forward to seeing them represent the University in their respective overseas programs, ”said Samantha Hellwege, former studies coordinator at the foreigner and Gilman scholarship advisor.

Meet the Gilman Scholarship Recipients:

• Samantha gerbrick, junior, double majoring in Political Science and German with a minor in Global Security and Diplomacy, plans to study abroad for the academic year 2021-2022 at the University of Graz, Austria. She is also a recipient of the University’s Montclair-Graz Sister City Fellowship.
• Karina bloom, a freshman specializing in musical performance, plans to study abroad in fall 2021 at Nebrija University in Madrid, Spain. She is a veteran of the US Marine Corps.
• Georgi Naumov, a second year student with a double major in Mathematics and Economics, plans to study abroad in the fall of 2021 in Madrid, Spain.
• Adam chhour, junior, specializing in cinema, plans to study abroad in the fall of 2021 on the Japanese campus of Temple University in Tokyo.
• Daphne Desire, freshman student majoring in public health plans to study abroad in spring 2022 at Seoul University in South Korea.
• Isaiah Ayestas, a sophomore major in justice studies, plans to study abroad in spring 2022 at the Japanese campus of Temple University in Tokyo.
• Marguerite González, senior, specializing in computer science, plans to study abroad in fall 2021 at Seoul University in South Korea.
• Kayla cespedes, junior, majoring in psychology, plans to study abroad in fall 2021 at the American College of Greece in Athens, Greece.

More, Emilie boyle, a major in undergraduate biology and a minor in Chinese at Montclair State received a scholarship from the United States Department of State to study Chinese in the summer of 2021. Boyle is one of the nearly 700 American students to receive this very competitive award and the second student from Montclair State since 2015.

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program is a fully funded 8-10 week summer study abroad program that offers intensive language and cultural immersion abroad. The goal of the program is to broaden the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages ​​and to build relationships between the people of the United States and other countries.

Boyle is passionate about Chinese culture and one day hopes to become a professional translator as part of a joint American-Chinese curatorial program.

“We are particularly proud that Emily Boyle was awarded a scholarship to study Chinese in the summer of 2021. Her interdisciplinary interests in science and languages ​​will meet a critical need in the world,” said Wendy Gilbert-Simon, coordinator of student mobility and CLS advisor. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Boyle will participate in his program virtually this year.

Students looking for additional information on study abroad scholarships can visit Scholarships and Financial Aid. For more information on the Critical Language Fellowship, contact a CLS Advisor: Dr Renata Blumberg, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Food Studies, Email: [email protected] or Wendy Gilbert-Simon, Student Mobility Coordinator simonw @ mail .montclair.edu.

Report by Jazmin Mora-Amaya, class of 2024. Mora-Amaya is majoring in business administration and working as a student assistant in the Office of International University Initiatives.

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