A. Gilman Podcast

The winners of the Gilman Scholarship Program's 20th Anniversary Video Contest have been selected! The judges were beyond impressed by the creativity exhibited in the dozens of entries we received. We decided this would be a great opportunity to invite as many of our winners as possible to share with our audience how they created their entries and much more. This is the second chapter of a two-part series and this episode is featuring Gilman alumna and contest finalist, Angwara Sae-Hoon (Japan, 2012). You can view her entry on the Gilman Scholarship Program's YouTube channel.  Angwara Sae-Hoon is a Film/TV Animation Production Professional, Story Artist, and Cultural Exchange Advocate. She believes in the power of storytelling to spark curiosity, celebrate diversity, and observe our shared humanity together. Receiving the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship in Fall 2012, she lived with a host family and studied abroad at Konan University in Kobe, Japan for a semester. Connect with Angwara on Instagram! 

The winners of the Gilman Scholarship Program's 20th Anniversary Video Contest have been selected! The judges were beyond impressed by the creativity exhibited in the dozens of entries we received. We decided this would be a great opportunity to invite as many of our winners as possible to share with our audience how they created their entries and much more. For this first chapter in this two-part series, we have invited two runner-ups, Morgan Kennedy (Ireland, 2012) and Devin Sommer (Turkey, 2011) to join us. You can view both of their entries on the Gilman Scholarship Program's YouTube channel.  Devin is an Artist, Grant Writer, and Small Business Owner in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. An outspoken advocate for international education, he believes it should be a core component of the education system. Blending business and the arts, Devin collaborates with community leaders and international artists, seeking to overcome cultural divides by engaging youth at home and abroad through the mediums of Blues, Jazz, & Hip Hop.   Morgan is a public health communications professional currently working in indigenous health and knowledge translation. Part nomad, part foodie, and part photographer, she has fallen in love with world travel since her first study abroad experience in college. She has an appetite for adventure and is guided by her belief that health is a human right.  Connect with Devin, Honey Pickles, and Figpickles on Instagram!  Connect with Morgan on Instagram and check out her website, Dear Joanie! 

The A. Gilman Podcast is ready to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month and Military Appreciation Month alongside Gilman alumnus, Jonathan Banasihan (China, 2019). As a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, Jonathan reflects on his time in the Navy. He explains how his global ambassadorship experience in the military extended into his approach as a global ambassador as a Gilman Scholar. Jonathan also offers insights into the challenges faced by non-traditional college students and how international education professionals and advisors can make studying abroad more accessible to those populations.    Jonathan Banasihan is a U.S. Navy veteran and prior aircraft mechanic who transitioned into their undergraduate degree in International Studies in 2016 at American University located in the District of Columbia. Jonathan went abroad with the Gilman Scholarship Program in the summer of 2019 to study Chinese in Beijing, China. He graduated in 2020 and currently works in the legal field conducting export compliance at Raytheon Technologies.    Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn or the Gilman Scholar Network for other Gilman alumni!

Anthony Latta joins the podcast for the final episode of 2021. This month marks the end of Gilman's 20th Anniversary and Anthony reflects upon the life-changing exchange experience he had 20-years-ago. He also takes listeners behind the scenes of his involvement in Gilman's video series looking back at the program's impact. Anthony dives deeper into his time abroad learning Russian and how his time learning the language at Texas Tech University prepared him for success Anthony is a corporate finance leader with more than 20 years of experience in international development and technology. He holds a BA in Russian Language, an MBA, and an MS in Finance. Anthony went on exchange with the help of the Gilman Scholarship and the Boren Scholarship in 2001 to Moscow, Russia. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn! 

Happy Native American History Month from the Gilman Scholarship Program! For our first episode honoring our Tribal Gilman Scholars, Kimberly Fuqua (England, 2018) joins the podcast to discuss how her Indigenous heritage impacted her exchange experience. Kimberly reflects on the Native American experience in the United States and she was able to create and find a new community while on exchange in Europe. Kimberly concludes with offering some valuable advice for exchange students across all walks of life on how to balance exploration and studies while also traveling on a budget.   A proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Kimberly Fuqua is a former special education teacher, devoting 10 years of her life serving students with learning disabilities within and around her hometown of Pembroke, North Carolina. She is the mother of two boys and enjoys spending time with her best friend, her mother. She recently graduated with her master's from Cornell University where she majored in Public Administration with a concentration in social educational policy and served as a diversity and inclusion fellow. Kimberly currently resides in Schenectady, New York working for the New York State Department of Transportation and is actively involved in her Indigenous identity and served as the co-president of the Indigenous Graduate Student Association. Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month from the Gilman Scholarship Program! Alumni Ambassador Héctor Huyke joins the A. Gilman Podcast to discuss how he and his team at FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) prepared for Hurricane Ida, floods, earthquakes, and a multitude of other natural disasters. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Héctor goes into detail about what this time of year means to him and why he hopes future Hispanic and Latinx students take advantage of study abroad. He offers valuable advice on what to look for in your exchange journey, and how you can bring your experience home.  Héctor Huyke (Spain, used to be a writer, tutor, and journalist in Puerto Rico before Hurricane María. In the aftermath of the disaster, he started working in FEMA's digital communications team in 2017. Since then he has continued to dedicate himself to serve Latinx communities before, during, and after disasters with a multifaceted and bilingual approach to crisis communications. As part of FEMA's Digital Communications Team, Hector has contributed to both small and major response and recovery efforts throughout the nation, including hurricanes, wildfires, COVID-19, and earthquakes. Connect with Héctor through email at hectorjuanhuyke@gmail.com.

Join the A. Gilman Podcast as we continue to celebrate 20 years of the Gilman Scholarship Program for this special storytelling episode featuring Daniela Castro (France, 2017). In celebration of the Gilman Global Experience Blog officially merging with the Gilman Scholarship website, we invited Daniela to expand on her story featured on the Gilman Global Experience Blog. She shares how her travels and studies in France led her to leave her doctorate pursuits to a career embracing three of the most important languages in the world: French, Math, and Computer Science. Daniela Castro is a Gilman and Teach for America alumna and current coding instructor with Karlie Kloss' foundation: Kode with Klossy. Daniela is based in Dallas, TX, and currently holds Master's Degrees from Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University and a Bachelors of Arts in French and Biomathematics from Florida State University. She will also be competing for the title of Miss Texas 2021 this year.  Connect with Daniela on LinkedIn or Instagram! Background Music by Eric Van de Westen Sound Effects Provided by Gaming Sounds FX

Deciding to take on an international exchange can be an already daunting, exhausting, and stressful pursuit. But on this episode, we are joined by Gilman alumna Harriet Browne, who discusses how embarking on exchange as a student with learning disabilities was an entirely different ballgame. Despite the hurdles discussed, Harriet gives credit to her current travel bug, interest in public health, and entrepreneurial endeavors to her time abroad. Not to mention that staying organized while also utilizing the resources around her was key to her academic and social success abroad.  Harriet Browne (Dominican Republic, 2010), creator of Anansi Travels is a current Master's candidate with Emory University. She was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas but her familial and ethnic roots can be traced to Ghana, West Africa, where she takes college students and young professions to explore through Anansi Travels determined to combat the negative stereotypes about the continent of Africa at large. Harriet dreams of one day using her up-and-coming degree in Public Health in an international capacity alongside the U.S. Department of State. She hopes sharing her story will inspire other first-generation students with learning disabilities to embark on exchange. Connect with Harriet and Anansi Travels on their website or on Twitter! In this episode, we have covered some of the challenges and triumphs of studying abroad with a disability. We want to make our audience aware that ‘The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange' is a project of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, designed to increase the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange between the United States and other countries, and is supported in its implementation by Mobility International USA. Learn more: https://www.miusa.org/'

The Gilman Scholarship is all about exploring the next frontier this month with guest Manuel Retana joining us to talk all things this out of this world. Growing up in Mexico only scratches the surface of Manuel's international experience as he discusses that and his time accidentally enrolling in a Master's class during his time abroad in Europe and getting lost while traveling on the trains of Denmark. Hear his thoughts on the invaluable benefits of international exchange for STEM students and why exposure to new cultures was a skill he had to develop for his career at NASA. Manuel Retana (United Kingdom, 2015) is a Gilman alum and former Gilman Ambassador. Currently, Manuel Retana works as a NASA JSC Project Engineer in the area of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems ECLSS for the International Space Station, Orion, and Advanced Exploration Systems. He develops space hardware to allow astronauts to explore and live in space. Manuel is also pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas, Austin. In his spare time, Manuel does STEM/NASA outreach internationally in Latin America, India, and Europe.   Connect with Manuel on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn!

The feeling of serving as a representative of your entire race and country is an all too familiar responsibility for Gilman Scholars studying abroad as members of the BIPOC community. This May, Gilman alumni Jacqueline (South Korea, 2017) and Ryan Hung (South Korea, 2017) discuss their experiences traveling abroad as Asian-Americans to the same country on two drastically different academic tracks. Hear about how they both prepared for their international exchange, and how their experience growing up in the United States shaped their outlook on their own racial identities and culture predisposed them to racial ignorance and stereotypes that hold no geopolitical boundaries. Jacqueline is a current software engineer and is the co-host of the How Did We Not Know That podcast. She greatly enjoys surfing and cooking and hopes to become a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. Ryan Hung is a multi-talented artist who engages in everything from comedy to dance. He is a current program manager and is soon to start his MA in Performance Studies as a Chancellor’s Graduate Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn or email him directly at hungryan@grinnell.edu. Take a listen to Jacqueline on the, How Did We Not Know That podcast available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and connect with her on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to check out Jacqueline’s article mentioned in this month’s episode here!

Could traveling the world aid in simultaneously destroying it? Unfortunately, without taking the proper steps towards educating oneself and “paying the cost of admission” as explained by this week’s guest Mariana Zapata (France, 2012), we risk doing just that. Mariana joins the A. Gilman Podcast this month to use this upcoming Earth Day as a chance to reflect on the environmental impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a sustainability and travel writer, Mariana discusses how the planet has blossomed as millions of people were asked to stay inside and what that tells us about our habits as humans. Mariana Zapata is a Colombian-American sustainability and travel writer who has lived and worked around the world in cities like Seoul, Paris, Bogota, and New York. Her writing has appeared in Atlas Obscura, Thrillist, NBC News Shopping, Apartment Therapy, The Writer, Mariott Bonvoy Traveler en Español, and more. Check out her articles on her website and connect with her via Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

Valiant, trailblazing women like first-generation Rutgers University alumna Ifrah Akhtar (South Korea, 2017) is one of the many reasons why we celebrate Women’s History Month. On this episode of the A. Gilman Podcast, Ifrah joins us to discuss her triumphs and self-discoveries while traveling abroad as a Muslim woman.  She debunks myths about the value of pursuing a degree in Women and Gender studies and how the courses provided her an introspective college experience. The biggest takeaway from this episode is Ifrah’s reflection on the feminist movement in the United States and the changes that need to be made to the women’s empowerment narrative to include more diverse voices and uplift Islamic feminists. Ifrah Akhtar is a recent graduate from Rutgers University where she studied Religion, as well as Women and Gender Studies. Ifrah had the opportunity to travel with the Gilman Scholarship Program to South Korea in 2017. She was a member of the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Rutgers,  the creator of the Muslim’s Abroad guide, and is an avid foodie. Now, Ifrah is the editor-in-chief of the digital publication MODEST Magazine which is proud to work towards redefining and promoting modest fashion. Follow Modest Magazine on Instagram and connect with Ifrah on LinkedIn or Instagram!

Happy Valentine's Day and Black History Month from the A. Gilman Podcast!It’s all about #couplegoals this month as we have Justin and Alexis Black (South Korea, 2017 and Ecuador, 2018) joining us on the podcast. In this episode, hear Justin and Alexis discuss their experience growing up in the foster care system, studying abroad as inspiration for their careers, and pursuing professional success. Listen in for their best tips for entrepreneurial success after undergrad and what’s next for them. Before becoming authors, Justin and Alexis created The Scholarship Expert group, where they connect children in the foster system and first-generation students to financial scholarships. The two of them are also alumni of Western Michigan University and the Gilman Scholarship program and recent authors of their new book Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds And Discovered Healing, Happiness, And Love.Connect with Justin and Alexis on their website, Facebook, and Instagram. USE CODE: 50OFFRN for 50% off an autographed copy of Redefining Normal!  ***GIVEAWAY!We are hosting a giveaway this month where our listeners can enter to win a FREE COPY of Redefining Normal. You can either win a copy through Instagram, Twitter, or Apple Podcasts. For our Apple Podcasts listeners, simply give us five stars and leave a review below and you are entered to win. Interested in a different way to enter the giveaway? Check out the Gilman Scholarship's Instagram and Twitter for more details.Winners will be announced on February 22nd!  

Happy New Year and Happy 20th Anniversary of the Gilman Scholarship! In honor of this 20th anniversary, we are joined by Gilman alumnus Josh Berry this month. Josh Berry was one of the first-ever Gilman scholars who traveled to Chile with the program in 20002. Josh is now an award-winning documentary filmmaker who has worked with some of the biggest brands in the U.S. and is a skilled storyteller. In this episode, he talks about his experience filling out a paper application for the scholarship, exploring seemingly dead-ends abroad, and tips on developing storytelling as an essential leadership skill.Josh grew up immersed in the coastal wilderness of Northern California and is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. Since graduating, he has worked with major worldwide brands across the retail, automobile, and non-profit industries. His early experience with vast landscapes, profound silence, and intense weather influenced his work as a filmmaker and activist. Don't hesitate to check out the two films mentioned in this episode: The Survival of a Shark Man and Sydney! Connect with Josh on his website, byjoshberry.com!

HUGE THANKS to all of our listeners who have joined the A. Gilman Podcast family since our debut in July. Please leave us a review so we can know what content you are looking forward to listening to in 2021! Happy Holidays and see you in January!Follow the Gilman Scholarship on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! ***Join Sarah and Gilman Alumnus Abraham Álvarez García on the newest episode of the A. Gilman Podcast! Come and hear about Abraham’s experience traveling to the Netherlands as a first-generation college student. Learn about how he took his knowledge and passions for environmental sustainability and vertical farming around Europe. Upon his return home, with the addition of his global experiential learning, he is helping to battle food insecurities and promote food education in his home state. Abraham Álvarez García is a Water Resources major at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a passion for vertical farming, renewable energy, and STEM mentorship. He was born in Mexico but grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He recently studied abroad in the Netherlands where he furthered his research in controlled environment agriculture. Abraham is also the co-creator of Hydroponics for Milwaukee.   Connect with Abraham on LinkedIn!  

The Gilman Scholarship welcomes Gilman alumna Chloe Bates to the podcast this month to talk all things virtual. Chloe takes us back to her time in the birthplace of flamenco dance, where she first learned about the Virtual Student Federal Service internship program. Operating virtually during a pandemic was never going to be easy, however Chloe shares her insights about the benefits of her internship experience as well as her journey with mental health and wellness that began during her time abroad. Chloe Bates is a 2020 graduate from the University of Maryland where she majored in Communications and Spanish. She studied abroad with the Gilman Scholarship in the spring of 2019 in Sevilla, Spain as part of a language and cultural immersion program. While abroad, she attended a Gilman Regional Careers Summit and later discovered and eventually interned with the Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS). Chloe is now working for the U.S. Department of State, is a freelance creative strategist, and is an avid equestrian. Connect with Chloe on Instagram, LinkedIn or on her website.

        Professional bassist turned physician's assistant Robin Abeles (Chile, 2008) joins the A. Gilman Podcast this month to provide listeners with a deep dive into what happened on the front lines during the peak of the COVID pandemic outbreak. Similarly, to the chaotic arrival of his first few days in Santiago, Robin tells us the story about how his team at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center prepared for their first moments combatting the virus. A virus that was uniquely impacting Hispanic but largely Native American communities in the state.        Robin Abeles is an Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Physicians Assistant and studied Classical Music Performance while abroad with the Gilman Scholarship program. In addition to earning his Master’s of Science at Duke University, Robin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of New Mexico and a Master’s degree in Music from the University of Utah. Robin is also an avid skier.    Connect with Robin on Linkedin!  

On this special military-focused episode honoring the late senator John S. McCain, we are joined by Gilman Scholarship recipient Lindsay Clark and Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipient Angel Torres. Learn about how growing up in military families uniquely prepared Lindsay Clark to dive deeply into her cultural immersion while abroad and helped Angel adapt quickly during his time returning from his host country during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Lindsay is an army brat turned paratrooper for the United States Army turned current medical student and went to Madagascar with Gilman in 2017. Angel Torres is a Chemical Engineering student at the University of Puerto Rico and is a part of the inaugural class of Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipients and traveled to Spain with Gilman this year.   Connect with Lindsay on Instagram and with Angel on Instagram or LinkedIn!  

Gilman alum Lamar Shambley (Spain, 2009) joins the A. Gilman Podcast this month to breakdown his inspiration and mission behind his non-profit Teens of Color Abroad.  Lamar discusses his thoughts on the value of global exchange programs for students of color as well as the challenges African American students can face embarking on international adventures.      As the founder of Teens of Color Abroad (TOCA), Lamar helps expose students of color to global languages and cultures to enhance their language learning experiences, augment their educational outcomes, and strengthen their global competency skills. TOCA and Lamar want to teach students of color about the necessity of multicultural competency, developing critical career advancement skills, and gaining a deeper perspective on your own country’s cultural diversities. Lamar Shambley is based in Brooklyn, NY with seven years of experience teaching both middle school math and high school Spanish.   Follow Teens of Color Abroad on Instagram and connect with Lamar on LinkedIn.  ***JINGLE CONTEST:Calling all musically gifted Gilman Scholars and Alumni, the A. Gilman Podcast needs your help! Whether you are a Launchpad enthusiast or a classically trained saxophonist, we would love for you to try your hand at creating the official theme music for the A. Gilman Podcast. Please create an original upbeat, pop/jazzy track that is no less than 30-seconds, and email your creation as an MP3 to gilmanpodcast@iie.org . You can also share the file with us via Google Drive. Oh, did we mention that there is a prize for the winning composer?

On the inaugural episode of A. Gilman Podcast, 2017 Gilman Scholar Shriya Bhattacharya introduces us to her adventures in Brussels, Belgium, and how her experiences abroad led her to land her dream post-graduation job at the United Nations Foundation. Shriya Bhattacharya is an Indian-American former Gilman Scholarship alumna (Belgium, 2017), who now works in Washington D.C at the United Nations Foundation as the Coordinator of the Universal Access Project. She is also a health and politics writer for Brown Girl Magazine, the first-ever global multimedia publication dedicated to South Asian self-expression and dialogue. She has also been published in Teen Vogue and Ms. Magazine and her reporting interests include women's health, youth activism, and immigrant rights. Shriya graduated from Agnes Scott College in 2018 with a degree in International Relations and Dance. Connect with Shriya on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  ***JINGLE CONTEST:Calling all musically gifted Gilman Scholars and Alumni, the A. Gilman Podcast needs your help! Whether you are a Launchpad enthusiast or a classically trained saxophonist, we would love for you to try your hand at creating the official theme music for the A. Gilman Podcast. Please create an original upbeat, pop/jazzy track that is no less than 30-seconds, and email your creation as an MP3 to gilmanpodcast@iie.org by July 17th at 5:00 pm EST. You can also share the file with us via Google Drive. Tune into our new episode on August 3rd for the winner to be revealed. Oh, did we mention that there is a prize for the winning composer? 

There are very few experiences in life that can replace the benefits of learning abroad. From cultural immersion and developing new language skills to motivating a student’s future career endeavors. Studying abroad can be immensely impactful for all students who are given the opportunity.  Since its inception in 2001, the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship under the administration of The U.S. Department of State has made it a mission to allow more undergraduate students of varying financial needs and diverse backgrounds to have an impactful international educational experience.  Subscribe and follow for monthly stories, special guests, and informational sessions with the team behind the Gilman Scholarship.