Hunter College students won a record 18 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships this fall, beating the 17 that students earned during the whole of last year.
The high number puts Hunter into contention for being named a Top Gilman Producer by the U.S. Department of State’s Institute of International Education, which has administered the program since its inception in 2001.
“We are proud and thrilled to hear that 18 Hunter undergraduates are among those earning this competitive award, further demonstrating Hunter’s academic clout,” said Stephen Lassonde, director of the Newman Office of Prestigious Scholarships & Fellowships. “International experience is critical for so many fields, and this large showing recognizes both the diversity of our students and the strength of their preparation.”
The undergraduates, their majors, and the countries in which they will study — include:
- Awestaa Zia, MHC Economics, Jordan
- Jeslyn Mei, MHC Psychology, Japan
- Soleidy Ramos, Political Science, Argentina
- Arianna Nunez, Computer Science, Australia
- Amina Sarfraz, Psychology, Jordan
- Fazrin Jahan, Economics, Jordan
- Shaksi Mahajan, Political Science, Italy
- Rabia Akram, MHC Human Biology, Jordan
- Zuley Dominguez, Human Biology, Spain
- Thuraya Jayash, Arabic, Jordan
- Choey Lama, Psychology, Italy
- Sama Abdelkhalek, Religion, Jordan
- Charlotte Kujawski, Studio Art, Italy
- Mahnoor Ayaz, Human Biology, Jordan
- Laurel Creighton, CUNY Baccalaureate, UK
- Brittany Guzman-Cholula, Economics, UK
- Bryant Zheng, CUNY Baccalaureate, Jordan
The prestigious scholarships, which are awarded twice annually, enable Pell Grant-eligible U.S. citizen undergraduates to pursue academic studies or career-oriented internships in foreign countries. Gilman Scholars receive as much as $5,000 (or as much as $8,000 if they plan to study a “critical need” foreign language) for their study abroad or internship program costs. Some 1,700 scholarships were awarded this cycle to students from all 50 states.
The program honors the late upstate Congress Member Benjamin A. Gilman (R-Middletown), who served for 30 years and headed the House Foreign Relations Committee from 1995-2002. To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship.
Hunter’s Office of Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships has a stellar track record in preparing students for many different kinds of competitive scholarships and fellowships. In recent years, the college has produced two Rhodes, two Marshall, six Schwarzman, five Luce, seven Goldwater, and 39 Fulbright Scholars among many other prestigious awardees.
