Campus Connection

Junior to study wildlife conservation in Africa through prestigious scholarship program

This summer UWL Junior Grace Crabb will study a subject she is passionate about in a country she has dreamed about visiting. Crabb, a biology and environmental studies minor, will study wildlife conservation and sustainable development June 24-July 15 in Tanzania, Africa. She is one of 1,201 American undergraduate students from 363 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad costs with additional funding available for the study of a critical language overseas. “Receiving the Gilman Scholarship is a tremendous honor,” says Crabb. “I cannot even begin to express just how incredibly thankful I am for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” She anticipates being far away from home will mean leaving her comfort zone, but she also expects to grow through new experiences. “I will make many new friends and build connections with people from around the globe,” she says. “These connections and new experiences will influence me throughout my lifetime.” The Gilman Scholarship supports American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. Since 2001, it has enabled more than 25,000 Americans of diverse backgrounds 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 and is supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The complete list of students who have been selected to receive Gilman Scholarships this term, including students’ home state, university and host country, is available on the website: gilmanscholarship.org.