1 Ooltewah, 2 Chattanooga Students Among Record Number Who Earned Gilman Scholarships To Travel Abroad

  • Thursday, August 2, 2018
Anna Derthic
Anna Derthic

Sonidda No and Anna Derthick, of Chattanooga and Brandon Jackson, of Ooltewah are among a record-setting 17 UT students who received Gilman Scholarships during the 2017–18 academic year.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program supports American undergraduate students of limited financial means in studying or interning abroad. Since 2001, it has enabled more than 25,000 students to engage in educational experiences around the world.

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward international study or internship program costs with additional funding available for the study of a crucial language overseas.

“This scholarship is very important, especially at UT, given how many of our students are Pell-grant eligible,” said Karen Richters, Gilman advisor at UT.

Richters said UT has seen a growing number of students receiving Gilman scholarships over the years. The number of applicants for the 2018–19 school year is up, and three students have received funding for fall trips. Spring recipients will be announced in November and summer recipients in April.

“The financial aid office sends an email on our behalf to all Pell grant–eligible students about this scholarship opportunity and our Gilman workshops, which we hold several times a semester,” Richters said. “Held in collaboration with the Writing Center, our workshops cover ways in which students can make their essays and applications more competitive. I think these wonderful cross-campus collaborations have benefited students in many ways.”

The following students are receiving Gilman Scholarships for travel this fall:

Hannah Alkulaghsi, of Knoxville, a senior majoring in anthropology and minoring in Arab studies, who will be studying in Morocco;

Brooke Ballard, of Cookeville, a senior majoring in chemical engineering and minoring in Hispanic studies, who will be studying in Chile;

Sonidda No, of Chattanooga, a sophomore in interdisciplinary programs, who will be studying in China;

UT’s 2017–18 Gilman Scholars were:

Subu Bhandari, of Knoxville, a senior in architecture, who studied in Italy during the spring of 2018;

Marlo Black, of Murfreesboro, a junior in animal science, who completed a service-learning project in Peru during the summer;

Carly Brown, of Knoxville, a senior in the College Scholars program, who studied in Costa Rica this summer;

Alex Clement, of Nashville, a senior in psychology, who studied in Ghana this summer;

Anna Derthick, of Chattanooga, a senior in psychology, who studied in Brazil during the spring of 2018;

Mackinzie Hutchison, of White Bluff, a senior in chemical engineering, who interned in Ireland this summer;

Brandon Jackson, of Ooltewah, a junior in music, who studied in Italy this summer;

Sydney Ledsinger, of Memphis, a junior in biological sciences, who studied in Botswana this summer;

Mallory McNeal, of Knoxville, a junior in nursing, who studied in Spain during the spring of 2018;

Garrett Orick, of Jacksboro, a junior in nutrition, who studied in the United Kingdom this summer;

Taylor Payne, of Johnson City, a senior in chemistry, who studied in Costa Rica this summer;

Veronica Price, of Memphis, a senior in interdisciplinary programs, who studied in Spain this summer;

Wan Rashid, of Nashville, a junior in business analytics, who studied in Italy during the spring of 2018;

Scott Sloan, of Lebanon, a senior in social work, who participated in a service-learning project in Ghana;

Sierra Swanson, of Knoxville, a junior majoring in English and minoring in Italian, who studied in Italy this summer; and

Cameron Watt, of Memphis, a junior in finance, who interned in China this summer.

To learn more about having an international experience while at UT visit the Programs Abroad Office website, stop by Melrose Hall, or email volsabroad@utk.edu.

Brandon Jackson
Brandon Jackson
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