51吃瓜

51吃瓜 (FSC) is proud to have been recognized by the U.S. Department of State with two FSC students recently receiving .

This year, the prestigious scholarship was awarded to 3,500 U.S. undergraduate students from all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, to study and intern abroad in over 170 countries. The Gilman Program, which accepts students with high financial need as federal Pell Grant recipients, received a record high of 17,000 applications across the 2024-2025 academic year. Named after the late Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, the congressionally-funded program has been administered by the Institute of International Education since 2001.

FSC鈥檚 2025 student recipients are Sam Verdone, 鈥�26, a business administration major who is currently studying in Portugal, and Elizabeth Cintron, 鈥�26, a science, technology, and society major who just returned from Edinburgh, Scotland.

鈥淎s a Pell Grant recipient, studying abroad felt like a distant dream, but the Gilman Scholarship made my dream turn real,鈥� said Cintron, who traveled in a program led by Associate Professor of Visual Communications Brian O'Keefe. 鈥淏eing selected as a Gilman Scholar has meant so much to me. Navigating a new country by myself showed me what I鈥檓 capable of achieving when I step outside what feels familiar. Academically, I developed valuable skills in interaction design, creative problem-solving, and visual communication that will continue to shape my future studies and career path. Without a doubt, this was one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of my life.鈥� 

Cintron enjoyed trying traditional Scottish food, seeing Highland cattle, going to thrift stores, attending Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows, and the sense of community and friendships built among her group. She also learned 鈥渢o think at a higher level beyond the classroom, especially about how interaction design can transform city spaces into places where people naturally connect and interact.鈥� 

鈥淭he Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is highly competitive,鈥� said Study Abroad Manager Eric De Sena, PhD. 鈥淥nly 20% of applicants are successful, so I was thrilled when our students were awarded. Elizabeth told me she had a fantastic experience working with seven other FSC students and an equal number of students from Edinburgh Napier University on their internship.鈥�

Cintron shared that throughout her scholarship application process and travel experience, FSC has 鈥渂een supportive every step of the way,鈥� giving her the reassurance she needed to navigate new challenges.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e an FSC student considering studying abroad, my advice is to just go for it,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven if it feels intimidating or out of reach due to financial or personal circumstances, programs like the Gilman Scholarship exist to help make it possible. The skills you鈥檒l develop academically, personally, and professionally are irreplaceable. You鈥檒l experience new cultures, build lifelong friendships, and return with a fresh perspective on the world and your place in it. Taking that first leap will change you in ways you can鈥檛 fully imagine.鈥�

Established by the U.S. Congress, the Gilman Scholarship is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is aided in its implementation by the Institute of International Education.鈥疓ilman Scholars represent the United States overseas and return to communities across the United States with the global networks and foreign language skills needed to support U.S. economic and national security interests. 

For more information, please visit the FSC Study Abroad Office webpage.

---