Upon completion of their international program, Gilman Scholars complete several alumni requirements. All Gilman Scholars commit to these alumni tasks in the Gilman Program Terms and Conditions contract. Many alumni events and opportunities are exclusive to Gilman Scholars who have completed all alumni requirements.
Within one month of returning from abroad, all Gilman Scholars are required to submit a re-entry survey and updated contact information. These are completed in the alumni section of the Gilman portal.
To become an alumnus/a of the Gilman Scholarship, Gilman Scholars are required to carry out the Follow-on Service Project proposed in the application. The goal of the Follow-on Service Project is to increase awareness of study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship among a Gilman Scholar’s home or campus community. Gilman Scholars must complete a report on their Follow-on Service Project activities within 6 months of their return to the U.S.
The Follow-on Service Project report is available in the alumni section of the Gilman portal. You will be asked to include a summary of your project (maximum 1,000 words) and how you think your project impacted your audience (maximum 500 words). No documents or additional materials are required to be submitted to complete your Follow-on Service Project. Additional questions will collect data on:
- Who you collaborated with on your project
- How much time you spent on your project
- Who your target audience was
- Estimated number of people reached through your project
- How you promoted your project
- Challenges to completing your project
- Any updates to your project
- Additional value gained from completing your project
The Follow-on Service Project is due 6 months after a Gilman Scholar returns to the U.S. from their program. To request an extension, click on the “Request Extension” option on the Follow-on Service Project tile in the Gilman portal. To complete the request, you will need to propose a new, reasonable deadline for your project and provide a brief explanation of why you require an extension. Your request will be reviewed by the Gilman Program, and you’ll receive an email once your request has been approved or if further follow-up is needed.
To request a revision to your originally proposed Follow-on Service Project, contact gilmanrecipients@iie.org and include the reason for your revision and your new plan. Any project revisions should maintain at least the same level of effort and quality of your original proposal. Requests will be reviewed by the Gilman Program for approval.
In your revision request, briefly summarize your new Follow-on Service Project plan by addressing the following questions in a paragraph:
- Briefly outline your revised proposed project to promote the Gilman Scholarship and international education.
- What is your target population?
- How will you integrate the impact of your experiences abroad into your project? What medium will you use to express your message (presentation, flyer, social media, etc.)?
- What, if any, campus departments, student organizations, and/or community organizations will you collaborate with in promoting the Gilman Scholarship and international education? Have you already contacted these groups?
Given the impact of the pandemic on students’ ability to participate in their first-choice program or complete a Follow-on Service Project in-person, Gilman Scholars can revise the project so that it aligns better with their completed program and/or takes place entirely virtually. The goal of the follow-on service project (to increase awareness of study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship among a Gilman Scholar’s home or campus community) remains the same for in-person or virtual programs. Successful projects from virtual program participants have included blogging about the experience, writing an article for a local newspaper, program, or university, mentoring or advising prospective students on how to find a virtual program or essay writing support, or presenting at a high school or college classroom about the Gilman Scholarship. For more examples, visit this page.
Gilman Scholars have proposed and carried out a wide range of Follow-on Service Projects. As long as the goals of the Follow-on Service Project are met, there are no right or wrong projects. However, we encourage all Gilman Scholars to highlight their individual background, experiences, talents, and skills in the Follow-on Service Project. For a list previous project examples, visit this page. This is by no means an exhaustive list and we look forward to continuing to review unique, individual proposals from all Gilman Scholars.
Gilman Scholars are welcome to use Gilman outreach materials during the Follow-on Service Project. When using the Gilman logo online or in presentations, be sure to follow the Gilman Program’s Logo Usage Guidelines. Links to outreach materials are included below:
- Gilman one-pagers in English and Spanish
- Gilman McCain one-pagers in English and Spanish
- Gilman poster
- Gilman outreach presentation slide deck in English and Spanish. Alumni are encouraged to customize this to your experience!
You’ll be representing the Gilman Program while completing your Follow-on Service Project. Reference the Gilman Program Fact Sheet for a quick reference sheet about Gilman with important information for prospective applicants, including eligibility, award amounts, benefits of the program, and an overview of the application process.
Not sure how to get started? Check out our Top 10 Tips for Completing the Follow-on Service Project.
It can be difficult to describe your entire international experience for an audience at home. The Gilman Program has developed tips for creating your “elevator speech,” or a quick pitch of highlights from your time abroad. For more information, check out this worksheet. Additional resources on communicating and expanding the value of your Gilman experience can be found here.
For more information, review the Follow-on Service Project Frequently Asked Questions.
Gilman Scholars and Alumni are encouraged to send photos highlighting their experience abroad to gilmanphotos@iie.org using the guidelines below. The Gilman Program uses photos of Gilman Scholars to feature on our website, social media, and in promotional materials such as brochures, posters, and advertisements.
For questions about submitting photos, contact gilmanphotos@iie.org.
Hear from three Gilman Alumni Ambassadors about how they successfully requested project extensions and revisions, as well as ideas on how to complete an effective project while practicing social distancing.
