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Raylee McGlocklin -
Arielle Turner
A pair of students at Southeastern Oklahoma State University have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to study or intern abroad during the spring and summer of 2024.
Raylee McGlocklin and Arielle Turner are two of approximately 1,200 American undergraduate students from 354 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive the Gilman International Scholarship in the latest award period.
McGlocklin is a senior fisheries and wildlife science major from Milburn and will study abroad in Belize and Guatemala during the spring 2024 semester. Turner is a senior English education major from Atoka who will study in England and Scotland in the summer 2024 term.
“Southeastern is proud to have multiple recipients of this scholarship in this cycle,” said Dr. Kyle Lincoln, interim director of study abroad and assistant professor of history and interdisciplinary humanities at Southeastern. “Having study abroad experiences can greatly increase additional opportunities for these students later on in their chosen field of study, and scholarships like this are fantastic for our students.”
Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship program costs. The program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or internships abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. Students receiving a Federal Pell Grant from two- and fouryear institutions who will be studying abroad or participating in a career-oriented international internship for academic credit are eligible to apply. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages, and economies — making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.
The late Congressman Gilman, served in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee. When honored with the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal in 2002, he commented, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”
The program is administered by the Institute of International Education. The list of students who have been selected to receive Gilman Scholarships, including students’ home state, university and host country, is available on their website: www.gilmanscholarship. org. According to Allan Goodman, President and CEO of IIE, “International education is one of the best tools for developing mutual understanding and building connections between people from different countries. It is critical to the success of American diplomacy and business, and the lasting ties that Americans make during their international studies are important to our country in times of conflict as well as times of peace.”