Nazareth student Meghan Brooks receives a Gilman Scholarship to study in China in Fall 2021

Nazareth College student Meghan Brooks has earned a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. Brooks, '22, is a double major in Spanish and Chinese. She is scheduled to study in Chengdu, China in the fall of 2021, where she will take courses in Chinese language, history, and culture. Brooks is among more than 900 college students nationwide selected to receive the award.

"I am absolutely thrilled and honored to have received the Gilman Scholarship," said Brooks. "I know that my experiences in China will not only strengthen my language skills but also help me gain a better cultural understanding, two important qualities for my future as a language teacher in the United States."

Brooks, of Hamburg, N.Y., says she looks forward to continuing her language studies in Chengdu's immersive environment, while meeting new people, trying different foods, and seeing some of the most beautiful places in the world.

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 toward their study abroad or internship program costs with additional funding available for the study of a critical language overseas. The Gilman Scholarship supports American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad and, since 2001, has enabled more than 25,000 outstanding Americans to engage in a meaningful educational experience abroad. The program has successfully broadened U.S. participation in study abroad, while emphasizing countries and regions where fewer Americans traditionally study.
The late Congressman Gilman, for whom the scholarship is named, served in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee. When honored with the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Medal in 2002, he commented, "Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community."
The Gilman Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and is supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.

Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.

• published: 2020 December
• more news:
• Academics
• Foreign Language/International