“Congratulations to Laurel, Rhiannon and Keylen … we wish them all the best in their education abroad experience. I hope more students will apply for the Gilman and other study abroad scholarships. There is a lot of funding for education abroad experiences, and students can get the support to find and apply for scholarships from the Office of International Education and Development (OIED). We are always happy to help students with their scholarship applications.”

Dr. Maria Anastasiou, executive director of Appalachian's OIED

Three Appalachian State University students — Laurel Roser, Rhiannon Reed-Kelly and Keylen Renteria — are the recipients of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and will study abroad during the 2018 spring semester.

Roser, a junior political science major from Mount Holly, North Carolina, will study in Morocco; sophomore community and regional planning major Reed-Kelly, from Boone, North Carolina, will study in the Czech Republic; and Renteria, a junior global studies major from Charlotte, North Carolina, will study in Spain.

Each student received $2,500 to $3,500 to help fund their education abroad; they are among 1,000 undergraduate students from 386 universities and colleges across the U.S. to receive the scholarship. The scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Named for retired Congressman Gilman, the program aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages and economies — making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.

Application information for Appalachian students

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The Gilman Scholarship Program is an undergraduate grant program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to thrive in the global economy.

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Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.

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About the Office of International Programs

Appalachian State University combines a strong liberal arts foundation with a comprehensive, pervasive and integrated commitment to global engagement. The Office of International Programs assists App State in fulfilling its global engagement mission by working to develop awareness, knowledge, appreciation and respect of cultural differences — in both domestic and international contexts — in the university’s students, faculty and staff, as well as in the surrounding communities. Learn more at https://international.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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