The Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships at Colorado School of Mines is pleased to announce that 3 Mines students are among the American undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the United States selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study or intern abroad during the 2024-2025 academic year. The Congressionally funded Gilman Program broadens the U.S. student population studying and interning abroad by providing scholarships to outstanding undergraduate Pell Grant recipients who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise study abroad. Since the program’s establishment in 2001, over 1,300 U.S. institutions have sent more than 38,000 Gilman scholars who represent the rich diversity of the United States, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories to 160 countries around the globe.
Mines’ 2024 Gilman scholars are participating in all types of study abroad programs; students will be participating in faculty-led summer programs, academic study abroad, and international internships. They will travel to three different countries: Ireland, Germany, and Hungary. Scholars represent the departments of Applied Mathematics & Statistics, Chemical & Biological Engineering, and Computer Science. These students were awarded scholarships representing a combined total of $11,500 for summer 2024, fall 2024, and academic year 2024-2025 programs.
Pamela Banuelos, a rising senior in the Chemical & Biological Engineering department, will be conducting an international research internship at the University of Augsburg in Augsburg, Germany this summer 2024. According to Pamela, “I am very excited to be an engineer abroad and to gain research experience while also traveling the world and getting to experience a new culture.”
Ari’jaye (Ari) Derritt, a rising sophomore in the Computer Science department, will be studying abroad in Ireland this summer 2024. Ari will have the opportunity to travel around Ireland, while also completing required coursework toward her degree in Computer Science while abroad. According to Ari, “I am most excited about expanding my horizons and meeting new people.”
Isobel McGivney, a rising senior in the Applied Mathematics and Statistics department, planned to do a study abroad program at the Institute of Mathematics within the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
The Gilman Program aims to make study abroad, and its career advantages, more accessible and inclusive for students from the United States. The program particularly focuses on supporting first-generation college students, students in the STEM fields, ethnic and racial minority students, students with disabilities, students who are veterans, students attending community colleges and minority serving institutions, and other populations underrepresented in study abroad, as well as broadening the destinations where scholars study or intern. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gilman Program has offered expanded options to scholars, including allowing them to use the scholarship for virtual international study and internship programs.
The Gilman Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Colorado School of Mines students who wish to apply may seek advising and support from the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, nationalscholarships.mines.edu. For more information, please contact Ashley Weibel, in Mines’ Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships: ashley.weibel@mines.edu