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Hi there! I’m Zena Jeffers and I received the Gilman in 2016 while studying political science and international management at the illustrious NC A&T State University. My country of choice was a small island called Cyprus where I met with Fulbright scholars, the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, and made an impact through volunteerism. In 2018, I studied in Germany where I gained more experience networking in diverse settings.

My first time boarding a flight was when I headed to Cyprus for my first study abroad experience. Looking back I can’t even believe the amount of fear that surrounded my experience and the way I took on each one without second guessing it. No one in my immediate family had ever boarded a flight let alone flew 5,000 miles to live in an unknown country knowing absolutely no one. So when I landed in Cyprus it was my mission to take in as much as possible, with open arms; this was the best decision I’ve made in my young adult life. Approaching my abroad experience with the goal to positively open and accept a new life bled into other aspects of my life and ultimately led to me learning two new languages, starting a business, and meeting some of my closest friends. When we embrace the aspects of our lives that are unfamiliar to us, we are able to experience life fully and fearlessly. I did not expect many of the trials and tribulations that I had to endure while abroad. Minor inconveniences such as language barriers or getting lost in a new city may have sent me spiraling if my mindset had not been prepared to embrace the unexpected abroad, and everyday following. I encourage anyone seeking growth, to embrace the unexpected in all aspects of life.

 

My name is I’yanna, and I am a 2021-2022 Gilman Alumni Ambassador from Sunrise, Florida. I graduated from Florida State University in 2019 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. As a Gilman Scholar, I studied the Spanish language in San Jose, Costa Rica in 2016.

I’ve always considered myself to be an adventurous person. At my core, I am an explorer. Like many of us, though, it’s hard to explore and travel when you don’t have the financial means to do so. During my freshman year of college, I was amazed at all the opportunities afforded to me as a student from a lower income background. Quickly after starting at Florida State University (FSU), my goal was to involve myself in organizations and opportunities that would enhance myself culturally and professionally. I figured the best avenues for this were student government and student-led organizations. My view of what a college experience could look like was limited by my lack of finances. One workshop I attended changed my entire college experience.

As a first-generation college student, I encountered obstacles that my parents, even with their wealth of knowledge and wisdom, could not help me with. Fortunately, I was a part of FSU’s Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement (CARE) Department. CARE invited the Office of National Fellowships to speak to students about a study abroad scholarship catered towards students like us who were Pell grant-eligible. Before this moment, I had never considered the studying abroad as an option for me because traveling out of the country seemed to come with expenses that I knew I could not afford. At this workshop, I learned about the components necessary for the application, heard from past recipients and learned of their unique experiences from trips to China, Germany, and Spain. I remember being amazed that students who did not have the funds to travel abroad found a way to make the most of their college experience. This was the push I needed.

At times, my financial burdens made me feel like a burden. I found that having examples of those who were successful at achieving this new goal of mine encouraged me to apply to the Spanish Immersion program in San Jose hosted by the Conversa Linguistics School. Shedding myself doubt, I met with the ONF representative and set up weekly meetings to work on my application. I worked on my statements before and after class. In between classes I visited the ONF office for advice. I tried and failed many times. My advisor would tell me “Show, don’t tell” and that concept was difficult for me to grasp, but once I got it, I believed I submitted my best work. Despite the difficult time crafting my application, I was proud of pushing past my initial fears and finding a way to learn in a foreign country.

Alternate.

About a month after submission, I was informed that I was not selected for the award. I was crushed. I went through my application again. What could I have missed? I misspelled something or made a syntax error. I questioned the hard work I put into the application and if there was anything I could have done differently. I had accepted the email that I was an alternate as confirmation that I would not have my trip funded by Gilman. A few weeks later, I jumped for joy as the new email read “Congratulations!”. Out of 3,400 applicants, I was one of 950 who would be awarded!

In a conversation with my mentor, I told her the good news and the struggles I faced up to that point. She said my scholarship award was “delayed, not denied”. She mentioned that things do not always fall into place in the exact way that we envision, but that did not mean that our goals would not come to pass or that they deserved to be celebrated any less. This lesson is one I have carried with me throughout my collegiate and professional careers. A “no” today, could be a “yes” tomorrow, and despite your obstacles, you should remain confident in your ability to achieve any goal you set out to accomplish.

I believe everything was created purposely. Specifically, I believe all people have purpose. I think life is the experience during which we realize our purpose and hopefully fulfill it. I start this blog off by speaking about my stance on purpose because it is my own understanding of my purpose that drives my desire to participate in fellowships like Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship. My purpose is to use my gifts and talents to do good works throughout the world. I am a gifted storyteller and I have been blessed with a creative mind. Therefore, I seek out opportunities to use my gift in ways that will benefit other people.

Opportunities like the Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship are perfect for me because I am challenged to create a project which investigates a globally significant theme and uses storytelling as the primary tool for exploration! Participation in this fellowship includes learning from National Geographic Storyteller and expanding my knowledge of storytelling techniques. The US Departments of States commitment to global exchange and higher education along with my personal experiences as a Gilman Scholarship recipient ( 2017) and a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship awardee (2020) have led me to firmly believe that the Fulbright-NAtional Geographic Storytelling fellowship was created for someone just like me. Someone who has the desire to use her gifts as storyteller to shed light on a subject and uplift the often overlooked perspective and quiet voices! Therefore, I plan to apply for this upcoming application cycle.

Undergoing the Gilman application process was my prerequisite course that would prepare me to apply for the Fulbright Fellowship. During the application process for Gilman I made connections with representatives in my study abroad office, writing center tutors, and alumna from my alma mater, Spelman College, who had been awarded the scholarship before. These basic connections supported me and gave me the confidence I needed to submit killer application materials. Although the Fulbright application process was more involved, I felt confident applying and creating my application materials, especially my personal narrative, because I had already begun this work when I applied for Gilman. The Fulbright interview is the only part of the application process that was completely different from Gilman’s process. I utilized my Gilman alumni network to find past Fulbright recipients that I  interviewed and got advice from. This helped me to have a successful interview in English and in Spanish, because I was prepared and anticipated many of the questions that were asked during my interview.

My experience abroad as a Gilman scholar was the dawn of my journey as a global scholar. I studied Afro-Brazilian Culture and Portuguese in Bahia, Brazil. This sparked my fascination in Latin American cultures, which was intertwined with my overall interest in understanding blackness and mixed identities in other countries. As a multi ethnic brown skinned human being I started to see global exploration as exploration of myself and my origins and my connections to all peoples. I started to value cultural differences and see our similarities more. This time next year I hope to be collecting the personal narratives of black/Afro identifying people in a spanish speaking country. I also intend on documenting my learning experience living in said country. I believe all my future global and cultural exchange experiences are extensions of my Gilman experience. Gilman is the base of my experiential pyramid and all my new experiences just continue to build on that. It is my opinion that my experience as a Gilman Scholar was divinely crafted and essential to my understanding and pursuit of my purpose here on Earth.

Hello everyone! My name is Abby Donovan, and I am a 2021-2022 Gilman Alumni Ambassador. In 2019, the Gilman Scholarship gave me the opportunity of studying abroad in Valladolid, Spain, a town 118 miles north of the capital, Madrid. I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 with my Communication Studies and Spanish degrees. I currently work for the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at Iowa.

Before my departure from the United States, I had some doubts about leaving behind family and friends for seven weeks. After all, I had only been out of the country one time before on a family vacation. I didn’t know anyone who would be traveling with me, and I had never been away from the people I am close with for that long. Putting all of that aside, I also knew that I might have some culture shock. I anticipated that everything was going to be much different than what I was accustomed to back home.

On the day we arrived my host mom, Marissa met me and two other girls outside of the bus station. We would be staying in her house for the next seven weeks. The roads were narrow, and her car was insanely small. We made it back to her three-bedroom apartment where she lived alone with her two dogs Sugar and Missy. The first thing I noticed was that there was no air-conditioning in her apartment, meanwhile it was 90 degrees outside. There was one bathroom for us all to share, and we could only shower once a day no matter how sweaty we got walking three miles a day to and from our university.

Because I was there to advance my language speaking skills, Marissa only spoke to us in Spanish throughout our entire time with her. Somehow, despite the language barrier I became really close to her. Even if my Spanish was not 100% fluent, she was able to understand and help correct me without judgement. Unlike many other host moms that I heard about, Marissa took us to her favorite restaurants, made us fancy meals, took us to plays and markets. I can honestly say that she is the reason I felt so comfortable 4000 miles away from home.

To this day, I still communicate with Marissa frequently. Because I was so nervous going out of the country for the first time, she became a blessing in disguise and helped me navigate my new home away from home.

Study and intern abroad experiences are valuable not just for the professional growth, but also personal development. One of my goals when planning to study abroad was to get outside of my comfort zone, but at the time, I did not know exactly what that would look like. I would not describe myself as an outdoorsy person and initially the idea of hiking, trekking or spending prolonged time in nature did not excite me. But, I ended up doing all those activities during my time in Chile because the country offers a very diverse and beautiful terrain to do so.

During such trips, the global community was very accommodating, and whether it was tour guides or Chilean students that helped me get through these endeavors, they did so in a responsive and reassuring manner. For example, when I went trekking up Cerro San Cristóbal, there was a time where I did not feel as though I could continue. But, some of the Chilean students stayed back and encouraged me to keep going. It turned out to be a very rewarding experience because we got to view the city of Santiago from the top of the hill. I am grateful to the global community for helping me along the way.

As a Gilman Ambassador, I hope to lift others up, like the global community did for me, by encouraging them to study abroad (and apply for the Gilman Scholarship) and helping them in their journey. In my presentations as an Ambassador, I have talked about trying new experiences and ways in which study abroad shaped me. Reflecting on this, being a Gilman Scholar is more than just a scholarship because it opens you up to new opportunities, not only for that semester or year, but even afterward. It is something that does not just stay with you during your time abroad, but is a lifelong experience that you carry.

 

Hey everyone! My name is Zhané Bradley, and I am a 2021-2022 Gilman Alumni Ambassador. As a Gilman Scholar, I completed a virtual internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the Spring 2021 semester.

I took my first Spanish language class in high school as it was required for me to graduate. The same reasoning applied to the two semesters of Spanish that I took in college; I enrolled in the entry-level classes because they were required when I switched my major during my junior year. Although I genuinely enjoyed learning the language, I had trouble finding opportunities for me to practice outside of classes that met once or twice a week.

“If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” is a phrase that’s commonly applied to language learning. Instead of being focused on competence, the curriculum of most beginner-level language classes are focused on exposure. These classes are an excellent place for the journey of learning a second language to start. However, learning another language to the point of fluency is intense and best done through immersion. I didn’t realize this until I started my virtual internship with a nonprofit organization in Buenos Aires.

My on-site supervisor understood English well but would often switch to Spanish mid-conversation. I only knew enough to have elementary conversations then, and I often found myself too nervous about attempting to use what I knew. My supervisor, however, was extremely welcoming and open to helping me practice during our weekly meetings. After that experience, I realized that learning a new language is more than just mentally translating words and phrases from your native language. Instead, I knew that I wanted to continue my journey and focus on the experiences that learning a new language can open up.

After graduating, I decided to sign up for weekly Spanish lessons online with a tutor. I am also currently doing a two-week art residency in Antigua, Guatemala. For the first time in my journey, I’ve found myself in positions where I have to speak the language. In addition to taking daily classes at a local Spanish school in the city, I have had multiple opportunities to practice with taxi drivers, restaurant servers, tour guides, etc. Engaging in conversation and having native speakers compliment my pronunciation have boosted my confidence tremendously (I even find myself thinking in Spanish now). Although I still have a lot to learn, I am proud I’ve achieved a comfortable, conversational level and am excited to continue this journey.

If you’re looking into learning a new language or maintaining your newly acquired skills, here are some ways that you can invite language learning into your life:

• Enroll in classes with an online tutor. Websites like Italki and Preply make it easy to sign up for classes online with speakers of your target language from all over the world. One-on-one lessons are invaluable; you can even pick tutors based on your budget.
• Identify your goals. Reasons for learning a new language can range from career and business to travel and hobby. Identifying your motivation will help you set reasonable goals and make the journey more enjoyable.
• Meet up with other speakers of the language. At my alma mater, I would attend weekly virtual meet-ups with other students who were learning Spanish. The Gilman Alumni network is also a great place to look. There have been several virtual networking hours targeted toward maintaining your language skills. You can also join groups and find other Gilman alumni to practice with.
• Watch or listen to media in your target language. I love watching shows and listening to music in Spanish (I have several Spanish playlists on Spotify). Try listening to language-based podcasts or local radio/news stations to practice your listening skills.
• Travel. Immersing myself has undoubtedly improved my Spanish speaking skills.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This is my most important tip. I always make mistakes and am proud of them because I’m learning. If you could speak a new language perfectly from the start, it wouldn’t be a journey! The process can be difficult, so allowing yourself to make mistakes is crucial for growth. I’ve had multiple teachers in the form of friends, tutors, taxi drivers, etc., and they’ve all been incredibly open to providing corrections and helping me improve.

I studied and lived in the small town of Santa Ana, Costa Rica, located just outside of San Jose and my experience was transformed by my instructor and host family. Although I had taken Spanish courses throughout middle and high school, my understanding never reached a level high enough to speak the language. My intention to study in Costa Rica was fueled by a desire to become a fluent speaker. To achieve this, I knew what was required of me: I had to push myself past my comfort zone.

At the Conversa Linguistics School, I took intensive courses which accelerated my knowledge and understanding from foundational to an intermediate level. This opportunity was unique in that my class sizes were very small and allowed for me to work with my instructor and classmates in an intimate setting. In one class, I was the only student. I remember being nervous about my ability to perform and comprehend the information: conjugations, new vocabulary, and my ability to correctly pronounce words were aspects of learning the language that made me feel intimidated. Grace, my instructor helped ease my nervousness by providing constructive feedback and acknowledging the strides I made with assignments and assessments. Grace’s approach to teaching included traditional and nontraditional aspects. Some days she broke down the roots of words such as “correr”, to run, outlining the ways in which the word could be conjugated and used in everyday sentences. On other days, we went on walks through the campus or visited friends of hers who lived a short distance from the school. I appreciated the nontraditional structure because it centered community interaction to immerse me in the language. This kind of instruction and practice I did not get during my seven years of classes back in the United States.

My instruction continued with my host mom, Liliana. In her home, we had daily conversations over dinner. Due to my lack of vocabulary, a twenty-minute conversation would often run us two hours  during my first week. Liliana was extremely patient and kind when telling a story or explaining customs of her country and town. To a non-native speaker like myself, it sounded like Liliana was speaking fast, so I struggled to connect the dots, catching every other word. In these moments, I was reminded to push past my comfort zone, so I got creative.

When Liliana used a word or phrase that was unfamiliar to me, I used the Google Translate app to get over the hurdle. This worked for us, and I appreciated Liliana’s willingness to employ technology to help me in my pursuit to speak more fluently. Our conversations soon became more complex. We had deep conversations about political and social tensions in the United States, Costa Rica natives’ relationships with Nicaraguan immigrants and the commonalities between immigration in her country and the United States. These are the conversations where I learned the most because it called for words that I had never heard before. Had I stayed on campus, I doubt that I would have gained a full perspective of the country that Liliana provided.

Through conversations with Grace, Liliana, and other members of the community, I grasped what it truly meant to break the language barrier. This required persistence and a true willingness to learn from others with a different upbringing and culture than my own. My time spent in Costa Rica gave me a new perspective on the lives of those in Central America and countries other than America overall. I would like to this that my effort to reach a deeper level of understanding helped us cultivate a sustainable relationship. I am happy to say that we still communicate and keep in touch  through social media. My experience learning the Spanish language took a turn for the better because of the Gilman scholarship and those who were kind enough to help me make the most of my study abroad trip.

 

Hello everyone! My name is Abby Donovan, and I am a 2021-2022 Gilman Alumni Ambassador. In 2019, the Gilman Scholarship gave me the opportunity of studying abroad in Valladolid, Spain, a town 118 miles north of the capital, Madrid. I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 with my Communication Studies and Spanish degrees. I currently work for the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at Iowa.

When I received the Gilman and studied abroad in 2019, I was just fishing the third year of my Spanish degree. I always knew that I wanted to travel and grow my language in skills in a different country, but I didn’t know if that would be possible for me. When I found out that I received the Gilman Scholarship I was beyond grateful and extremely excited that I had this opportunity.

I was eager to challenge myself by being immersed in a totally different culture where everyone spoke Spanish. When I first arrived, I was very nervous to speak to all the native Spanish speakers. I quickly realized that I needed to take the risk and just start trying my best to speak in a different language. The second I decided to give it my best shot, the people were so kind and accepting. They would critique me nicely and correct me if I used the wrong word. By allowing myself to open up in a new country I was able to learn a lot more about the language and become fluent by the end of my trip.

When I returned home, I quickly fell back into my old routine and for some time didn’t use my Spanish like I should. I began reaching  out to those who I was in Spain with, and we started getting together to speak Spanish again. There are so many reasons why I wanted to keep up with my Spanish and continue advancing these language skills. One of the most rewarding aspects of learning a second language is being able to communicate to someone in their language and knowing that you are able to connect with a wider range of people in their personal and professional lives.

A year later, I graduated from the University of Iowa and was offered a job at the university in the Diabetes Research Center as their communications coordinator. Studying abroad and advancing my Spanish language skills helped me to excel in this position. There are people all over the world that work in our research labs and because of my time in Spain I have been able to connect with many of them through Spanish language.

Without the Gilman Scholarship I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to Spain, advance my speaking skills, and grow as a young adult. I realized that there is much more to learn around the world and the best way to go it is by immersing yourself into a different culture. The risk is always worth it, and you will almost always come out a better person because of it.

Hi there! I’m Zena Jeffers and I received the Gilman in 2016 while studying political science and international management at the illustrious NC A&T State University. My country of choice was a small island called Cyprus where I met with Fulbright scholars, the U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, and made an impact through volunteerism. In 2018, I studied in Germany where I gained more experience networking in diverse settings.

As a black first-generation college student, I had much anxiety around traveling abroad and felt the pressure to excel not only for myself, but for those who supported my efforts to travel abroad in the first place. There are so many stigmas within the black community surrounding study abroad for lower income people of color that are detrimental since they ultimately stop many from even considering this life changing opportunity. The Institute of International Education reported in 2021 that only 5.6 percent of students studying abroad are black. The primary reasons that black students refrain from going abroad:

1. Fear of experiencing racism abroad
2. Concerns over financing their studies
3. Lack of support from their community

At the root of all of these feelings is fear. When we allow our feelings of fear to overpower our decisions we miss out on the opportunity to challenge ourselves, thus stunting our growth. My decision to go abroad taught me to have a level of confidence in myself and my ability to excel in any situation presented to me. Here are the primary reasons I believe every black student should consider studying abroad:

1. Racism exists in every country and isn’t necessarily something you can run from.
2. There are hundreds of programs like the Gilman that will fully fund your experiences.
3. Stepping into the unknown creates new results that could propel you forward in life.

My journeys abroad shaped who I am today because I allowed myself that chance. I stopped making assumptions about how the world viewed me, and focused more on maintaining my own positive views of myself. By doing this, I was able to forge long-lasting relationships, impact an underserved community through volunteerism, and share my own culture with people around me.

Let’s be honest — your experiences won’t be the same as others and that’s okay

I often felt reminded that I was an outlier in most rooms, but I utilized those opportunities to share more about myself, thus allowing others to do the same. When reflecting on my experiences abroad, there were many times where I could have stayed to myself and allowed others the opportunity to maintain their biases about me. I had to pull confidence from within myself and remember that those supporting me back home were rooting for my success. As I reflect on my experiences I am reminded of the moments where I could sit and observe the community that I created after stepping off of a plane knowing absolutely no one and the overwhelming sense of pride that comes with such an accomplishment. It goes without saying that studying abroad will change your life, yet many underestimate the grave impact that it has until after the impact is made. It takes personal resilience and dedication to learning to truly make the most of your experiences and build everlasting relationships. I encourage any student of color who is undecided about studying abroad to take a chance on themselves fearlessly.