Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, or just Gilman Scholarship Program for short, is a nationally competitive program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is intended to support students who are studying abroad in the pursuit of their individual academic goals. It is designed to help students gain a better understanding of the world and to prepare them for a successful career in the global market economy. At the end of the study abroad term, participants are required to complete a follow-on service project within six months of their return to give back to their communities and to encourage others to expand their worldview through a study abroad experience of their own.

This blog you are reading now is the follow-on service project that I created, however students are free to submit any kind of project they'd like with approval from Gilman staff. You can access the Gilman Scholarship Program's official website and see a full list of examples of the kinds of projects that are generally accepted through this link here:

http://www.iie.org/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program/Application-Process/Essays

Once you are completed with the project, you will submit a one to two page report on how the study abroad experience impacted you on an academic and professional level and how your project will successfully reach out to other students. After you have received a confirmation email from one of the Gilman staff that you have satisfied all of your requirements, you are officially done with your project, though it is urged that you continue to represent the program and its underlying mission.

The scholarship is only eligible to U.S. citizen undergraduates who have received the Federal Pell Grant. It offers up to $5,000 per award but for those who are studying abroad in a country where a critical language is predominantly spoken, you are also automatically considered for the Critical Need Language Award, which can increase the award up to $8,000. The written essays component in the application process for this scholarship is straightforward: you must include a Statement of Purpose that describes your study abroad program and a Follow-on Service Project Proposal that outlines all the details of your project and how it will have an impact on your community or university.

Syracuse University's Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) often holds writing workshops to help students with their essays. I highly recommend taking advantage of this. I don't think I would have won both the CLS Scholarship (twice- once as an alternate for the 2016 summer program in Hikone, Japan) and the Gilman Scholarship without their help, as advisors were very knowledgeable on the kind of content that was being sought after in these essays. Their website can be found at:

http://nationalscholarships.syr.edu/award/gilman-scholarship/

As my own recommendation, when you are writing either of these essays, be as thorough as possible in the details. Gilman is not only looking for a project that can leave a strong impact on its audience, but from a marketing standpoint, they are also looking for excellent study abroad programs that demonstrate the amazing opportunities that are out there. It is as much about fulfilling the participants' aspirations as it is about the example they lead for others. When you are writing your Statement of Purpose, you really want to highlight what makes your study abroad program so unique while at the same time making it clear that the experience will be of benefit to your academic goals and future career plans. The Follow-on Service Project Proposal also requires a lot of detail and thought, but the important thing is to not make it too overwhelming for you to complete in the end. If you choose to apply to the Gilman Scholarship Program, good luck!