Three Valparaiso University seniors have been awarded Fulbright grants to continue their international studies while making a contribution to the cultures of Taiwan, Germany, and Poland.  Halina Hopkins, Hannah Scupham, and Sterling Summerville will complete their undergraduate careers during Valpo’s May 19 commencement ceremony. As recipients of the Fulbright award for 2013-2014, these students will have the opportunity to use their skills within a new environment and broaden their experiences.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright Program annually awards grants to approximately 1,500 American students to study, teach English, and conduct research in more than 110 countries throughout the world. The grants allow students to bridge the gap between undergraduate studies and the workforce as they enhance their knowledge not only of other cultures, but of their own skills and ambitions.

“I am very pleased to see the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of Halina, Hannah, and Sterling so deservedly well recognized by the Fulbright Program,” Valparaiso University Provost Mark Schwehn said. “This honor reflects the high academic standards that we hold for all Valparaiso University students, and I am confident that they will continue to succeed in their future endeavors.”

Read full statement here.

Two Valpo students were selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, for their study-abroad program next year: 

Michael Schrag, electrical and computer engineering major, received $5,000 toward his year abroad in the VIEP-Spanish program at Zaragoza University in Spain.

Loren Schmidt, international economics and cultural affairs and Chinese and Japanese studies double major, received $2,500 toward her fall semester at the Valpo Study Center in Hangzhou, China.  

The Gilman program aims to diversify the students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.  Students receiving a federal Pell Grant from two- and four-year institutions who will be studying abroad or participating in an 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. 

For more information on how to apply yourself, please visit: www.iie.org/gilman. 

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