University Students Receive Federal Study Abroad Scholarship

University students from across the state will get the chance to study abroad with a federal scholarship. 

Nine students from two West Virginia universities will receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in 2024.

A student from Marshall University and eight West Virginia University were among the thousands of recipients of the national scholarship.

Olivia Miller of Marshall University will use the funds to study in Greece. 

From  WVU: 

• Chelsea Elliott, a senior landscape architecture major from Morgantown, will use the funds to travel to western Europe,

• Shawna Hart, a Bridgeport native enrolled in the Regents Bachelor of Arts program, will use the funds to travel to the United Kingdom,

• Kevin Harter, a freshman geography major from Ballwin, Missouri, will use the funds to travel to New Zealand,

• Chyanne Reid, a senior biochemistry student from Martinsburg, will use the funds to travel to Ireland,

• Christopher Smith, a junior biomedical engineering major from Point Pleasant, will use the funds to travel to Panama in 2025 as part of the WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades,

• Mary Margaret “Maggie” Stakem, a junior sports and adventure media major from Wheeling, will use the funds to travel to Spain,

• Sabrina Thorn, a sophomore health services management and leadership major from McMechen, will use the funds to travel as part of a future WVU-sponsored trip,

• Braeden Thornton, a freshman pre-nursing major from North East, Pennsylvania, will use the funds to travel to Cyprus.

Available to undergraduates who receive federal Pell Grant funding, the Gilman Scholarship enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad with up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship program costs.

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).