Syracuse University has been named a Gilman Scholarship Top Producer for the 2021-22 academic year in the medium institution category. In that application cycle, 24 University students received and used the award to fund study abroad experiences.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship offers study abroad awards of up to $5,000 to undergraduate students in good standing who are U.S. citizens and Pell Grant (federal financial aid) recipients, and up to $8,000 for undergraduates studying abroad and learning critical need languages (such as Mandarin Chinese or Arabic).
Yasmin Nayrouz in London
The opportunities that the Gilman Scholarship provides align well with the University’s newly released academic strategic plan, “Leading With Distinction.”
“Syracuse University has long prioritized study abroad as fundamental to our mission of preparing students to be globally engaged citizens. We are also committed to increasing the diversity of our study abroad cohorts and to making international education an option for all of our students, regardless of their financial circumstances. The Gilman Scholarship sits at the intersection of these goals,” says Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter.
The University has prioritized the Gilman Scholarship as it supports meaningful international experiences for students and allows the University to increase equity in global programs. “Syracuse University is honored to be recognized for our work with the Gilman Scholarship. This award has allowed even more of our students to have deep—and often life-changing—global experiences,” Ritter says.
Gilman applications are a collaborative effort between the University’s Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) and Syracuse Abroad offices. Syracuse Abroad is dedicated to helping students choose study abroad programs that align with their academic and cultural interests, and CFSA has taken the lead on planning outreach to eligible students and working with Gilman applicants through writing workshops and one-on-one advising meetings to review drafts of their application materials.
Nayrouz on a hike in Scotland
“Studying abroad provides students with unparalleled opportunities to advance their studies, personal growth and professional skills in ways that help them to thrive in diverse local and global communities and workplaces,” says Erika Wilkens, assistant provost and executive director of Syracuse Abroad. “Helping students apply for prestigious scholarships like the Gilman is one way to advance our commitment to making international study available to all students.”
“The Gilman application process provides students an opportunity outside of the classroom to strengthen their writing skills and refine their academic and professional interests,” says Adam Crowley, scholarship advisor with CFSA. “Supporting our Gilman applicants is a campuswide effort. We are proud of the success of our students and honored by this recognition.”
Yasmin Nayrouz ’24, an English major in the College of Arts and Sciences and public relations major in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, received a Gilman Scholarship and studied abroad in London in the Fall 2022 semester.
“It was the best semester I’ve ever had. I got to take such interesting courses and immersed myself in the city,” she says. Nayrouz took a Shakespeare class; a class about multicultural London, where she learned about the city’s diverse history and neighborhoods; a class about America from a foreign perspective; and a class about race and gender in British media.
On weekends, Nayrouz took the opportunity to visit other countries. “My semester abroad also opened my eyes to how the U.K. and other European countries have helped refugees, as I spoke and volunteered with some. This reinforced my interest in helping migrant populations,” she says.
Eligible students interested in the Gilman Scholarship should reach out to CFSA at cfsa@syr.edu. The deadline for spring applications is March 7, 2024.
