Twenty-five students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have been named Gilman Scholars — the second-largest class of recipients in UT’s history. The scholarships, totaling $78,000, will support students of all majors and backgrounds as they study or intern abroad.
Awarded annually by the U.S. Department of State, the Gilman Scholarship encourages students to develop skills essential to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity. The scholarship is named for Benjamin Gilman, who served from 1973 to 2003 in the House of Representatives and for many years on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“The Gilman Scholarship is an essential award — one that promotes study abroad and the countless benefits it provides,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “UT’s 25 Gilman recipients are heading to countries around the world to build their skills and experiences in international settings.”
To support students through the application process, Undergraduate Research and Fellowships partnered with UT’s Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center and Programs Abroad within the Center for Global Engagement to provide one-stop advising for students interested in pursing the Gilman Scholarship.
“Our team in Undergraduate Research and Fellowships is so proud of these students, and we are grateful for the support from our campus partners that helped these 25 students achieve their goals and dreams,” said Malburne-Wade.
Meet the recipients
- Ella Aldridge: Nashville; major in social work; studying abroad in Kenya
- Avenlea Alford: Knoxville and Wilmington, North Carolina; major in plant sciences with a concentration in sustainable landscape design, minor in studio art; studying abroad in the United Kingdom
- Jessica Appiah-Kubi: Smyrna, Tennessee; major in neuroscience, minor in biology; studying abroad in the United Kingdom
- Skyler Baril: Mount Juliet, Tennessee; major in business management, minor through the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering Program; studying abroad in Spain
- Gabriela Sanchez Benitez: Knoxville; major in sociology; studying abroad in Costa Rica
- Harley Diamond: Knoxville; majors in art and classics, minor in medieval and Renaissance studies; studying abroad in Italy
- Landry Dixon: Raleigh, North Carolina; major in business management, minor in American Sign Language; studying abroad in Italy
- Eliza Fowler-Bettis: Gatlinburg, Tennessee; major in environmental and soil science, minors in watershed and international agriculture and natural resources; studying abroad in the United Kingdom
- Cambree Gliessner: Taylorsville, Kentucky; double major in journalism and history; studying abroad in the Czech Republic
- Cayman Jackson: Nashville; major in political science; studying abroad in the United Kingdom
- Breanna Larson: Cookeville, Tennessee; major in biosystems engineering, minor in international agriculture and natural resources; studying abroad in Belgium
- Leena Malik: Houston, Texas; major in global studies, minor in Spanish; studying abroad in Costa Rica
- Maya Markowicz: Franklin, Tennessee; major in interior architecture, minor in sustainability; studying abroad in Japan
- Duncan McNamara: Knoxville; major in biosystems engineering, minor in applied mathematics; studying abroad in Croatia
- Jermaine Parker: Memphis, Tennessee; major in architecture, minor in business administration; studying abroad in Finland
- Triya Patel: Chattanooga, Tennessee; major in biochemistry, minor in public health; studying abroad in Italy
- Mia Picchietti: Gallatin, Tennessee; double major in economics and statistics; studying abroad in South Korea
- Amelia Sandoval: Knoxville; major in physics, minors in Hispanic studies and astronomy; studying abroad in Spain
- Christopher Sarrazin: Lafayette, Louisiana; major in social work, minor in psychology; studying abroad in Kenya
- Lamara Stuart: Sierra Vista, Arizona; plant sciences major with a concentration in public horticulture; studying abroad in the United Kingdom
- Kylee Tackett: Dandridge, Tennessee; major in psychology, minors in human development and family science and neuroscience; studying abroad in the Czech Republic
- Isabella Wilkinson: Kingsport, Tennessee; dual major in psychology and communications; studying abroad in Italy
The final three recipients have chosen to remain anonymous.
Students interested in applying for nationally competitive awards like the Gilman Scholarship can visit the Undergraduate Research and Fellowships website or contact Programs Abroad for more information. The next scholarship cycle opens in mid-August, with applications due Oct. 3.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Palmer (865-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)