Gilman Scholars Go Abroad

Nine Cal State Fullerton students soon will be traveling to distant lands to experience different cultures and attend university courses with students they normally would never have an opportunity to meet, thanks to the federal Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program.

Caption: This spring, business administration major Tania Katbi will be exploring the food and culture of France, as well as studying toward her degree, thanks to a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

Established in 2001, the program is designed to encourage students to choose nontraditional study-abroad destinations, especially those outside of western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The program supports such travel by students who have been traditionally underrepresented, including those with high financial need, students in underrepresented fields, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds and those with disabilities, according to the program website.

The competitive program offers grants of up to $5,000 to defray the costs of studying abroad, including tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and airfare. Congressionally funded, the program awarded more than 2,300 scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year.

“It is a really good program for those who quality,” said Kathryn Morrissey, campus study abroad adviser, who has seen the number of awards grow since she joined the campus in 2007. Last fall, there were six recipients of the scholarships from Cal State Fullerton (see related story). “For many, they would not be able to receive this global experience without the assistance of this program.”

“This is an opportunity to experience something that is totally different from life here in Southern California,” said  Ann Tiger, a senior art major who will be traveling in February to Korea for a semester of study. Tiger once traveled to Japan and says the experience “made me appreciate my life here.”

Tiger, who works in the Women’s and Adult Reentry Center, will be traveling with student colleague Lily Chan, a junior psychology major.

“I decided to go to South Korea because South Korea is culturally rich, as well as technologically advanced,” said Chan. “I hope to gain an international perspective in my field while in South Korea and see this as a chance to find out what I truly want to do in the future. Hopefully, studying abroad in South Korea will give me the confidence and motivation to continue my education and find my career path.”

Sophomore Alvin Kim of La Habra also sees benefits to his experiences while in South Korea. “I do not know how to speak Korean — even through I am Korean — so this is somewhat of a heritage-seeking trip, where I will hopefully learn more about my culture and how to speak my language. Secondly, Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Art [where he will be attending courses] has a great visual arts component that would further me on my journey to becoming a news/conflict photographer.

“My dream is to use my photography to help those in need, with a primary focus on North Korean refugees. I am hoping that this trip will help me connect and network with like-minded individuals and that the time I spend there will help me understand the people I want to help in a more effective way,” explained Kim. “Firsthand experience is generally the best experience, and I am hoping to learn a lot more than academic knowledge during my semester in South Korea.”

Business administration major Tania Katbi found out about the program while reviewing the study-abroad website. She elected to go to France, where she will continue taking courses toward her degree. Attending college internationally, the junior said, “has a two-fold effect; it sets a student apart in the job market and allows one to learn about his or herself, as well.

“I hope to meet new people and gain a different perspective of the business world,” Katbi said, adding that she hopes to visit several areas in Europe during her stay. She plans to create a France Tumblr (a blog website) in which she will post facts, pictures and videos “about the French culture and my experiences while I’m there. I hope this will give students at CSUF a taste of what the French are all about.”

This spring’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients, their cities of residence, class level, majors and destinations are:

• Lily Chan of Rosemead, junior, psychology, Korea
• Tania Katbi of Anaheim, junior, business administration-economics, France
• Alvin Kim of La Habra, sophomore, communications, Korea
• Evelyn Lopez of Whittier, junior, sociology, United Kingdom
• Frank Park of Rowland Heights, sophomore, communications, Korea
• Michael Perry of Fullerton, junior, Japanese, Japan
• Ann Tiger of Apple Valley, senior, art, Korea
• Jorge Zendejas of Downey, junior, business administration, France

 

Jan. 23, 2012