Women Leaders Advise Gilman Alumni on Pursuing Careers in Science and Technology

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 25, 2018– Approximately 40 U.S. alumni of the Gilman International Scholarship Program will meet at the offices of the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C., today to learn about careers in STEM fields from a panel of influential women in the tech field holding leadership positions in Silicon Valley and Bay Area companies such as Twitter, Calix, and ModelExpand. The panel will be moderated by Caroline Casagrande, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs in the U.S. Department of States’ Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The women leaders on the panel are also mentors for the Department of State-sponsored TechWomen Program. This event is part of an ongoing series of career-readiness initiatives designed to equip alumni of the Gilman International Scholarship Program with the tools necessary to enter the professional workforce.

The Congressionally funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program broadens the U.S. student population studying and interning abroad by providing scholarships to outstanding undergraduate Pell Grant recipients who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise study abroad. Since the program’s establishment in 2001, over 1,300 U.S. institutions have sent more than 28,000 Gilman scholars to 145 countries around the globe.

TechWomen, also an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, brings emerging women leaders in STEM from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East together with their professional counterparts in the United States for a mentorship and exchange program, providing participants access to networks, resources, and knowledge to empower them to reach their full potential.

Today’s panel discussion and networking reception will help Gilman alumni develop the professional skills they need to translate their experiences abroad into meaningful careers in science and technology. By sharing valuable insights derived from their diverse professional experiences, these women leaders will inform Gilman alumni pursuing a career in STEM how their cross-cultural communication skills, regional knowledge, and language abilities can be used in careers advancing the economic prosperity and security of their home communities throughout the United States.

“The Gilman Program aims to make study abroad, and its career advantages, more accessible and inclusive for all American students. We look forward to engaging with alumni and mentors at today’s event,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Caroline Casagrande. She notes that the program is particularly successful in supporting first-generation college students, students in the STEM fields, minority students, students with disabilities, student veterans, students attending community colleges, and other populations underrepresented in study abroad, as well as broadening the diversity of destinations where scholars study or intern.

To learn more about the Gilman Program and how its diverse alumni are entering into impactful careers in the government, non-profit, and private sectors, visit www.gilmanscholarship.org.

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Lawson, LawsonJE@state.gov; Tel 202-632-2901