The Gilman Scholarship broadens the student population that studies or interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints.
The 24 recipients in this application cycle earned scholarships totaling $83,000 of external funding with an average award amount of $3,458.
Of those who worked with the Office of Scholar Development, of WKU applicants were named recipients. The national selection rate in this cycle of the Gilman Scholarship was 21%.
WKU students recognized in this Gilman Scholarship application cycle include the following:
Jacob Allison of Bardstown is a computer science major. He earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
John Berry of Glasgow is an interdisciplinary studies major in science. He earned the scholarship for studies in Costa Rica.
Sira Diame of Bowling Green majors in criminology and paralegal studies. She earned the scholarship for studies in the United Kingdom.
Sarah Gamble of Scottsville majors in English and Chinese. She earned the scholarship for studies in Taiwan.
Abbey Hall of Lexington majors in elementary education and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). She earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Taylor Harbison of Lexington is a health care administration major. She earned the scholarship for studies in Belgium and France.
Trini Hines of Evansville is a film production major. She earned the scholarship for studies in the United Kingdom.
Laci Hurst of Lawrenceburg is a marketing major with a minor in entrepreneurship. She earned the scholarship for studies in Italy.
Deborah Ishimwe of Lexington double majors in criminology and Chinese. She earned the scholarship for studies in Taiwan.
Thang Hau "Simon" Khai of Bowling Green is a construction management major. He earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Cing Hau Lun of Bowling Green is the daughter of Hau Sian Lian and Ngoih Lam Cing. She majors in management with certificates in managing inclusive organizations and organization leadership. She earned the scholarship for studies in Thailand.
Mallory Meadows of Bowling Green is a health sciences major. She earned the scholarship for studies in the Netherlands and Spain.
Oo Meh of Bowling Green majors in healthcare administration and public health. She earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Pah Meh of Bowling Green is a computer science major with a certificate in applied data analytics. She earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Su Meh of Bowling Green is an accounting major with a certificate in applied data analytics. She earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Donari Merritt of Hopkinsville is a music major with a minor in arts administration. He earned the scholarship for studies in Austria.
Veer Patel of Somerset is a computer science major with minors in business administration and finance, as well as a certificate in applied data analytics. He earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Amy Rodriguez-Calva of Antioch, TN majors in biology and Spanish. She earned the scholarship for studies in Spain.
Sommers Smith of Bardstown is a special education for learning and behavior disorders and elementary education major. She earned the scholarship for studies in Costa Rica.
Xavier Spiess of Nortonville is an English major. He earned the scholarship for studies in South Korea.
Atiana Spivey of Tompkinsville majors in biology, English, and Chinese. She earned the scholarship for studies in South Africa.
Jillian Tabler of Louisville is a visual arts major. She earned the scholarship for studies in Italy.
Emma Thomas of Morganfield is a psychology major with minors in clinical and community behavioral health and studio art and a certificate in user experience. She earned the scholarship for studies in Ireland.
Angelo White of Bowling Green is a marketing major. He earned the scholarship for studies in France.
All of the students recognized worked with Bradley Smith in the Office of Scholar Development at WKU to prepare their Gilman applications. They worked with advisors in the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning to find the best study abroad program to fit their goals.
Gilman Scholarship applications are accepted twice per year, with deadlines in early October and early March. Students interested in studying or interning abroad during these terms should apply in October:
- Winter 2026
- Spring 2026
- Summer 2026
- Fall 2026
Interested students are encouraged to connect with the Office of Scholar Development at WKU after study abroad program selection with the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning.
About The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship: Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Gilman Scholarship program supports internships or study abroad programs for undergraduate Pell Grant recipients. Since 2001, the Gilman Scholarship has enabled more than over 44,000 Americans to study in countries around the world, representing diverse backgrounds including ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, and first-generation college students.
About the Office of Scholar Development (OSD): OSD mentors students applying for national scholarships to fund “academic extras” such as study abroad, research, professional experience, and more. From first drafts to final submissions with multiple revisions in between, OSD helps students make more possible. By conceptualizing and revising the stories they tell in application essays, students better understand their strengths, interests, and purpose—and explore multiple possible pathways to that work.
About WKU Global: WKU Global serves the WKU community by engaging students, faculty and staff in diverse, educational and cultural experiences through faculty-led, exchange, consortia and other study abroad opportunities.
