Three CSB and SJU students earn Gilman Scholarships

Three students from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University have received Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships to study abroad during the spring 2016 academic term.

The recipients are:

• Jocelyn Alcala, a CSB junior from Riverton, Utah. Alcala, an elementary education major, will study abroad in Guatemala in spring 2016;
• Margaret Bernetich, a CSB junior from Portland, Oregon. Bernetich, a peace studies major, will study in India in spring 2016;
• Daniel Stevenson, an SJU junior from Fridley, Minnesota. Stevenson, a social science major, will study in Guatemala in spring 2016.

Approximately 800 American undergraduate students from 355 colleges and universities received the award.

Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. The program aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions they go.

CSB and SJU annually administer study abroad programs in more than 20 countries, offering students 19 semester-long programs, 15 of which are faculty-led. CSB and SJU also conduct more than 20 short-term programs.

Since the Gilman Scholarship program was started in 2001, 19,000 students have received awards representing 1,124 colleges and universities. Those students have studied in 144 countries.

The awards, sponsored by the U.S. Departments of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education, are named after former New York Rep. Benjamin Gilman, who served in the House of Representatives for 30 years (1973-2003). He chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee from 1995-2001.