Once arriving on campus at Whitman College as a freshman, I knew I wanted to study abroad. The only issue being my financial situation. As a Pell-Grant student, I was unsure of how I would be able to afford my flights, groceries, local transportation and travel insurance. Not having a steady income for three to four months while abroad was intimidating.
I applied for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program on a whim, hoping the U.S. State Department could supply me with some additional support. To my surprise, they did. The Gilman Program is a merit and need-based scholarship that equips undergraduate students with the proper financial capabilities to study abroad. They focus on international diplomacy and global networks.
I had decided to study abroad in Prague, Czech Republic. When I arrived in Prague, the Gilman Program invited me to apply for an extended opportunity, and I applied.
With the Gilman Program, I was awarded the opportunity to go to Brussels, Belgium, for an EU Study Tour. On Oct. 6, 2025, 24 fellow American students and I embarked for Brussels. This was a three-day all-expenses-paid trip, including transportation, hotel rooms and pocket money for food, funded by the EU Delegation to the U.S. Education Outreach Programme.
During this trip, I visited the European Parliament, the European Commission and the NATO Headquarters. There, I met with representatives from NATO, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European External Action Service and the Fulbright Program. With them, I was able to discuss topics such as international diplomacy, how the EU and NATO function and opportunities for U.S. students to work and study abroad.
Through this extended opportunity with the Gilman Program, I was able to broaden my understanding of international politics firsthand, in the rooms where they happen. I attended numerous informational sessions and panels, and talked to each speaker afterwards about my interests. Each day was jam-packed and full of comprehensive information about international politics.
But my experience in Brussels did not start and end with its educational supplementation. While there, I built lasting friendships with my fellow awardees. We spent our free time exploring the city and its nightlife, trying local cuisine and hanging out in our hotel rooms. Without the Study-Tour and the Gilman Program, I would not have been able to meet these incredible people.
After this unique experience, I returned to Prague to continue my studies.
In my home base, I was studying journalism in a program beyond those provided by Whitman’s Off-Campus Studies department. One particular class I took was International Reporting. I was required to conduct interviews with local Czechs, some of whom spoke little English. In this class, I was able to interview Katerina Demetrashvili, one of the youngest elected Czech parliamentary members, as well as local grassroots disability organizers and major global defence and arms manufacturer officials.
Additionally, through the program, I received instructional guidance from a renowned journalist, which was incredibly rewarding. It allowed me to pursue a field that I am interested in, in an academic setting. This program also helped me expand the skills I worked to strengthen in my Rhetoric, Writing and Public Discourse major back at Whitman.
On the weekends, I was able to travel across Europe. I went to Berlin, Austria and Budapest, and for my fall break, I solo-traveled to Rome and Florence for a week. These excursions were life-changing and would not have been possible without the Gilman Program. If you are a Pell-Grant student who is interested in studying abroad, but can’t afford it, check out the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, because without it, I would not have been able to have this experience.
