The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is among the top producers of recipients for the Gilman International Scholarship Program, which provides merit-based scholarships to outstanding American undergraduate students with high financial need to pursue credit-bearing academic studies and career-oriented internships abroad. The scholarship opportunities equip Gilman Scholars with international experience, global networks and foreign language skills essential to advancing U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs this week recognized Illinois for the 400 students who have received awards from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program over the past 25 years.
Since the program’s inception in 2001, more than 50,000 Gilman Scholars have studied or interned in more than 170 countries around the globe.
“It has been so rewarding to work with such a talented group of students and see them flourish both as applicants and recipients of the award,” said David Schug, the director of the National and International Scholarships Program. “Witnessing the transformation of students from informational session attendees nervous about affording a study abroad adventure to confident, internationally skills presenters at the following term’s sessions is one of the highlights of my job. We are grateful for the support of the Office of Student Financial Aid and the various campus study abroad offices in sharing this opportunity with students and assisting in administering the award.”
The State Department announced its lists of top-producing institutions in celebration of the 25-year anniversary of the Gilman program. The top 25 institutions in four categories were honored: small, medium and large institutions, and associate degree-awarding institutions.
“I am interested in diplomacy and foreign policy work, specifically U.S.-Japan relations, with a long-term career goal of becoming a foreign service officer,” said Sophia Kumagai, a 2024 Gilman Scholarship recipient who studied in Akita, Japan. “The Gilman Scholarship made this exchange experience financially possible so that I could focus on my language studies, create connections and engage in cross-cultural communication, and explore the culture of rural northern Japan. The National and International Scholarship Program Office helped me every step of the way from the start of the application to hitting the submit button.”
Kumegai is a senior double majoring in political science and East Asian languages and literatures (EALC) with a concentration in Japanese and minoring in Portuguese.
EALC alumna Jennifer Mendez, the director of the First Generation Student Initiatives at the U. of I., participated in a summer school at the National University of Singapore as a Gilman Scholar in 2013.
“I can say confidently that the experience continues to benefit me,” Mendez said. “I pursued doctoral coursework at Illinois with an interest in researching study abroad as a high impact practice for enhancing student success, retention and sense of belonging. Professionally, I am part of a working group through the Forum on Education Abroad that is developing best practice policy guidance for universities interested in enhancing first-generation student engagement with study abroad.
“I’ve lived abroad over a dozen times ― including in England, Thailand and Guatemala. I hope that my small yet consistent efforts continue to encourage more Illinois students to pursue study abroad,” Mendez said.
Applications for study abroad during winter break 2027, spring 2027, summer 2027 and fall 2027 are due Oct. 1.
Editor’s note: For more information, contact David Schug, director, National and International Scholarships Program, 217-333-4710; topscholars@illinois.edu
This story first appeared on the Illinois News Bureau website.