Increasing National Diversity in Education Abroad Using the Gilman International Scholarship and Others

By Michelle Dass Pickard and Margery A. Ganz

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program’s goal is to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go. For the Gilman Program diversity factors include gender, race/ethnicity, study abroad destination, area of study, and especially financial need.

Institutions must be actively engaged in increasing not only the numbers of students who participate in education abroad but also the types of students who are able to study abroad and the kinds of programs and country options we offer to them. There are opportunities for every type of institution to diversify study abroad, whether it is a small private liberal arts college, a top engineering school, a large public university or a minority-serving institution. All institutions should be actively promoting diversify in study abroad in some way.

Many students report that they do not choose to study abroad due to financial barriers. Some universities are now beginning to address this problem by using scholarship programs as a way to market study abroad. To reach under-represented students who might feel that study abroad is beyond the realm of possibility, we must do more than wait for students to find us and instead look for them in places such as financial aid offices, student affairs departments, multicultural services, disability services, and student organizations that attract the kinds of students we aim to reach. Scholarship programs such as the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education, have been developed to increase the participation of historically under-represented communities.

The Gilman Scholarship Program
The representation of minority students among Gilman recipients well exceeds that of the overall U.S. study abroad population during the 2004-2005 academic year. It is important to note, however, that diversity is defined much more broadly than just by ethnicity/race:

Gilman recipients exceed national percentages of African-American students by 13%, Hispanic students by 4%, and Asian students by 3%.

The number of applicants with disabilities rose by 59%. The number of scholarship recipients with disabilities rose by 73% over last year.

The percentage of Gilman recipients going to Western Europe is dramatically lower than that of the overall U.S. study abroad population. Nationally, 60% of all U.S. study abroad participants went to Western Europe during the 2004-2005 year. This year 25% of Gilman recipients studied in the region. However, it is important to highlight that Western Europe is certainly not excluded from the Gilman Program. There are many reasons why Western Europe is the best choice for some students.

The percentage of Gilman recipients going to non-traditional countries well exceeds those of the U.S. study abroad population. Gilman recipients exceed national percentages in Africa by 9%, in Asia by 14%, in Eastern Europe by 3%, in Latin America by 10%, and in the Middle East/North Africa by 7%.

Campus Collaboration that Works: The Spelman College Example

Spelman College is committed to enabling African-American women to study abroad as part of their preparation to be global citizens. In pursuit of that goal, we allow all our financial aid to transfer to approved programs. We also have some of our own special study abroad scholarships, which are distributed based on a combination of merit and need.

One of the actions the College has taken to make our money go farther is the requirement that all students who have a Pell Grant and who also want our scholarship dollars in order to study abroad, must apply for a Benjamin Gilman Scholarship. If they fit the qualifications for the IIE-administered Freeman Asia grants, we have them apply there as well.

This has substantially increased our numbers of applicants and award recipients. Of the 38 Spelman College students studying abroad in Fall 2005, 10 students applied for the Gilman and 5 received the grant.

The Study Abroad Director keeps a list of applicants and passes it on to the financial aid office. Thus, if a student does not win a Gilman scholarship, and if the student’s need is more than the amount they get from the Gilman Scholarship Program, they will be considered for other types of scholarships that are offered through our office such as those from The College Fund, UNCF, Alumnae donations etc.

The partnership of Financial Aid, Study Abroad and Faculty means that more students will be able to study abroad, and the Gilman Scholarship is part of our strategy for making that happen.

Michelle Dass Pickard is Manager of the Gilman International Scholarship Program at the Institute of International Education.

Margery A. Ganz, Ph.D. is Director of Study Abroad and International Exchange and a Professor of History at Spelman College.

Published previously in the print version of the Fall 2005 IIENetworker Magazine.

How to Apply for the Gilman Program
The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving a federal Pell Grant and attending a 2-year or 4-year college or university in the U.S. Selected by competition, recipients are awarded up to $5000 to defray the costs associated with studying abroad for a minimum of four weeks and up to one academic year. Upon their return from abroad Gilman recipients are expected to carry out a Follow-on Project that helps to promote international education and understanding at their home campus or in their community.

Application Deadline(s): *April for Fall & Academic Year Study Abroad, *September for Spring Semester Study Abroad. Summer or May-term programs are not eligible. *Please visit the website for this year’s exact deadlines for both students and advisors.

Contact Information:
Gilman International Scholarship Program
Institute of International Education
Tel: 1.713.621.6300, ext 25
Email: gilman@iie.org
Web: www.iie.org/gilman