Gilman International Scholarship Partners with Shawn Carter Foundation

March 18, 2013—The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and JAY Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation announce a partnership to support study abroad scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with financial need. Four inaugural Shawn Carter Foundation-Gilman International Scholarships have been awarded for the spring 2013 semester. The four scholarship winners for this year include:

  • Brittany Hardy, a first-generation college student from Gary, Indiana, and religion major at Princeton University, will study abroad for a semester in Athens, Greece.
  • Natalie Holman, who is from Chicago studying anthropology, public health, and Spanish at Northwestern University, will study and live with a host family in Barcelona, Spain.
  • Laquisha Springer, a first-generation college student from Hartford studying behavioral neuroscience at Connecticut College, will study psychology in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Quenton White, from Detroit and attending Wayne State University with the goal of going on to law school, will study at the University of Salford in Manchester, United Kingdom.

The collaboration between the Shawn Carter Foundation and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program supports the State Department’s goal of expanding opportunities for students with diverse backgrounds to study abroad and builds on the foundation’s efforts to broaden the horizons of its scholars. The four Shawn Carter Foundation-Gilman International Scholarships will be implemented by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Under the Gilman Program, U.S. undergraduate students with significant financial need take classes, learn foreign languages, and prepare for careers in the global economy through study abroad. The program reaches diverse audiences including ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, and those attending a wide range of U.S. colleges and universities. Nearly half of Gilman scholars are the first in their families to attend a college or university.

The Gilman Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 2000 and was named in honor of former Representative Benjamin A. Gilman. It is supported through an annual Congressional appropriation to the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Since its inception, the Gilman Program has awarded over 13,300 scholarships to students from more than 1,180 U.S. institutions for study in 131 countries around the world. For more information please visit exchanges.state.gov or contact ECA-Press@state.gov.


About the Shawn Carter Foundation (SCF)

The Shawn Carter Foundation was established by Shawn Carter (JAY Z) and his mother, Gloria Carter, who serves as the Foundation’s CEO. The foundation’s mission is to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at institutions of higher learning. By removing some of the financial burdens associated with going to, surviving in, and graduating from college, the SCF plays a vital role in increasing college access and success for many motivated yet underserved youth and young adults. The SCF provides individual grants to college and vocational school students between the ages of 18-25 to cover tuition and related supplemental educational expenses. SCF is also working to increase the ways in which it can expand and strengthen its scope of work around education, economic advancement and service.

About the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State leads a wide range of academic, professional, and cultural exchanges that include approximately 40,000 participants annually, including the Fulbright Fellowships and Scholarships and the International Visitor Leadership Program, with the goal of increasing mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. ECA sponsors the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for U.S. undergraduates with financial need, administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), and also manages the EducationUSA network of advising offices, providing information to students around the world who wish to study in the United States. For more information on the Department of State’s educational and cultural exchange activities, visit exchanges.state.gov.

About the Institute of International Education

The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.

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