Gilman Scholarship

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Population

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I have decided to conduct my study on Gilman Scholarship Recipients. The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is a grant program enacted by the U.S. Department of State to help students with limited finances study or intern abroad. According to their website, they award over 2,900 students scholarships worth up to $5,000 annually. It is a competitive scholarship program and I am incredibly grateful to have been a recipient.

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Research Question

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What effect did the Gilman Scholarship have on recipients being able to study abroad?

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Interview Questions (Scholarship Recipient Specific)

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When/how long did you study abroad for?

Where did you study abroad?

What made you choose the location you did?

Did you participate in any enrichment programs abroad (i.e. tutoring, teaching, internship)? If so, what?

What effect did the Gilman Scholarship have on your ability to study abroad?

Did you learn a new language? If so, which?

Do you still practice that language?

Roughly, how much time did you dedicate for your Gilman Scholarship Application?

Did your goals change after returning? Example, do you see yourself moving abroad now when before you never really thought about it?

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Why I Am Interested/What I Want to Learn

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I’m interested in researching Gilman Alumni because we all had similar goals going into the application process. Once we were selected as recipients and completed our time abroad, however, we all had different experiences especially since we went to different parts of the world. Everyone who applied is considered a need-based student and, based on my experience, couldn’t have studied abroad without the help and support of the Gilman team. I also am interested in learning what the scholarship application review committee looks for in an essay, since it is a competitive nationwide scholarship.

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Ethical Issues and Collecting Information

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I want to collect information in the least intrusive way for the alumni participants. I want to ask simple questions and if people feel comfortable enough sharing more with me, I would be happy to take that information in. I also want to have as much diversity as possible and limit the number of European Alumni, especially Spain since that is where I completed my study abroad experience. For conveying the information I collect, I plan on making a Wix website.