Gilman Scholarships set records for most in single year, application cycle

More than 30 University of Notre Dame students have been awarded Gilman Scholarships to study abroad during the upcoming summer, fall or spring semesters, contributing to two University records: the most Gilman Scholars in a single academic year, and the most in a single application cycle.

The total of 38 winners breaks the previous record of 23 for a single application cycle, while the 25 summer winners contribute to a record 44 for the 2020-21 academic year, nearly double the previous record of 23 for a single academic year.

Winners whose programs have been affected by the pandemic can defer the award to a later date.

A U.S. State Department grant program, the Gilman Scholarship supports students of limited means to study or intern abroad with as much as $5,000 for program costs and an additional $3,000 for the study of a critical language.

Winners worked closely with the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) at Notre Dame to apply for the award.

“This year’s applicants were so intellectual and passionate about their pursuits abroad that it is no surprise nearly all of them received the scholarship,” said Elise Rudt, national fellowships senior program manager with CUSE. “It was an absolute honor to work with them, and I know we will see big things from this cohort in the future.”

She continued, “I would like to thank the dedicated advisers at Notre Dame International and the Office of Financial Aid for their contributions to their students’ growing success every cycle.”

The winners are:

• Jacob Abel (class of 2022), Program of Liberal Studies and chemical engineering double major.
• Lekabel Abul (class of 2022), computer science major.
• Emma Ackerley (class of 2023), anthropology and Italian double major; digital marketing minor.
• Lauren Ackerman (class of 2023), mechanical engineering major; sustainability and engineering corporate practice double minor.
• Ida Addo (class of 2024), chemical engineering major.
• Raul Amezcua (class of 2022), computer engineering major; energy studies and Russian double minor.
• Lydia Anderson (class of 2022), Arabic and pre-health double major.
• Sabrina Antonucci (class of 2023), chemical engineering major.
• Elizabeth Baier (class of 2023), neuroscience and behavior major; science, technology and values minor.
• Bryan Barriga (class of 2023), civil engineering and economics double major.
• Taylor Bielecki (class of 2023), aerospace engineering major.
• Elizabeth Bradley (class of 2023), political science major; constitutional studies minor.
• Gabriella Burleigh (class of 2023), neuroscience and behavior major; science, technology and values minor.
• Chase Dixon (class of 2024), computer science major.
• Eno-Akyie Ennin (class of 2024), aerospace engineering major.
• Robert Fitzpatrick (class of 2024), civil engineering major.
• Kevin Gabriel Alvarez (class of 2023), mechanical engineering major.
• Aaron Jalca (class of 2023), economics and political science double major, philosophy minor.
• William Kim (class of 2024), mathematics major.
• Kierston Klidonas (class of 2022), neuroscience and behavior major.
• Victoria Kuprewicz (class of 2023), neuroscience and behavior major; international development studies minor.
• Annabelle Lake (class of 2023), marketing major; French and francophone studies minor.
• Trey Lane (class of 2024), mechanical engineering major.
• Destiny Lerner (class of 2023), visual communication design major; business economics minor.
• Emelie Madrigal (class of 2024), computer science major.
• Victor Navarro (class of 2024), aerospace engineering major.
• Lee Ngochi (class of 2022), civil engineering major.
• Lola Olagbegi (class of 2023), business analytics major.
• Angela Opoku Dapaah (class of 2023), political science and psychology double major; constitutional studies minor.
• Gabriel Ozaki (class of 2023), neuroscience and behavior and film, television and theater double major; digital marketing minor.
• Lesli Romero (class of 2022), civil engineering major.
• Theresa Salazar (class of 2023), biochemistry and English double major; poverty studies minor.
• Carolina Santiago (class of 2023), finance and applied and computational mathematics and statistics double major; actuarial science minor.
• Karen Tanious (class of 2023), economics and pre-health double major.
• Aisha Tunkara (class of 2023), international economics and global affairs double major.
• Luiza Vara (class of 2023), architecture major; Italian and energy studies double minor.
• Laurynas Zavistanavicius (class of 2024), electrical engineering major.
• Blake Ziegler (class of 2023), political science and philosophy major; constitutional studies minor.

For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu.

Contact: Erin Blasko, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu

Originally published by Erin Blasko at news.nd.edu on May 21, 2021.