By Amelia Heymann

Marking a record for a single application cycle, students from Virginia Commonwealth University have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to study abroad this summer or during the upcoming fall semester.

The scholarship, sponsored by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education, is available to undergraduates who receive federal Pell Grant funding. Roughly a third of VCU students receive the grants, which help address financial need.

“The Gilman is essentially a tool for student success, as it removes the financial barrier of study abroad and allows students to participate in global learning opportunities,” said Jill Blondin, Ph.D., vice provost for global initiatives in VCU’s Global Education Office. “It is truly a game-changer for these 12 students.”

Students navigated the application process with support from the GEO and the National Scholarship Office.

Of the newest VCU winners, two received the Critical Language Need Award, which supports study of what the State Department deems a “critical need language.” The country or area the student is visiting also needs to be where the language is predominantly spoken.

Here are the VCU students selected in the most recent application cycle:

Gilman Scholarship

• Salma Abdalkhalki, a junior majoring in international studies, will study in Cyprus at the University of Nicosia during the fall semester.
• Victoria Adams, a junior majoring in marketing, will study in Italy this summer as part of the VCU International Summer Institute: The Sant’Anna Institute.
• Fiona Brown John, a junior interdisciplinary studies major and Honors College student, will study in Malaga, Spain, through International Studies Abroad by WorldStrides during the fall semester.
• Julianna Garcia, a senior majoring in graphic design, will study in Italy this summer as part of a VCU Summer program in Florence.
• Makai Gillis, a junior majoring in fashion design, will study in the United Kingdom at the University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins for the 2025-26 academic year.
• Ismail Jalil, a senior majoring in computer science, will study in Spain this summer as part of VCU Summer’s Global STEM Converge program in Cordoba.
• Selah Pennington, a senior majoring in photography and film, will study in France this summer through ISA at the Institut Catholique de Paris.
• Patrick Ouoham Jr., a sophomore majoring in psychology, will study in Greece at the American College of Greece during the fall semester.
• Jaivon Santiago-Jackson, a junior majoring in finance, will study in Greece at the American College of Greece during the fall semester.

Critical Language Need Award

• Cori Anderson, a senior majoring in painting and printmaking, will study in Qatar at VCUarts Qatar during the fall semester.
• Kevin Hwangpo, a junior majoring in computer science, will study in South Korea this summer at Yonsei University.

Jeff Wing, director of the National Scholarship Office and assistant dean of the Honors College, encourages Pell Grant recipients to apply for the Gilman Scholarship. He said the enriching experience of studying abroad expands a student’s world view – and often inspires the pursuit of additional international opportunities.

Students who study abroad “understand that there’s a much bigger world out there, that there are other perspectives that will benefit them in their career paths if they want to pursue,” Wing said.

And Stephanie Tignor, the GEO’s director of global learning, said the Gilman Scholarship makes life-changing opportunities accessible.

“The program not only makes study abroad possible for those who receive these significant awards, but also helps introduce more of our students to the idea that international experiences are within their reach, despite real or perceived financial barriers,” she said.

Students interested in studying abroad can visit global.vcu.edu/abroad or contact the GEO or NSO.