Source: James Hohenbary, 785-532-6904, jimlth@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Megan Moser, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu
Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
THREE K-STATE STUDENTS WIN GILMAN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDY ABROAD
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University students Kathryn Glanville, Oskaloosa, Mark McCreary, Wichita, and Ruth Ruggles, Winfield, have received the 2008 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, an honor worth up to $5,000 for study abroad.
More than 1,100 students nationwide applied for as many as 400 scholarships, said James Hohenbary, K-State assistant dean for nationally competitive scholarships.
"The Gilman is a really great award for undergraduate study abroad because it considers students from all majors and supports study abroad to most countries," Hohenbary said. "That flexibility is nice because, at K-State, we have students from a wide variety of disciplines seeking experience across a wide range of destinations."
Glanville, a junior in agronomy, will study in Beijing, China. She has been a member of the AmeriCorps Campus-Community Youth Service Corps, Wheat State Agronomy Club, Students for Environmental Action and has served on her residence hall governing boards. An Oskaloosa High School graduate, Glanville is the daughter of John and Carol Glanville, Oskaloosa.
McCreary, a senior in mechanical engineering, will study in Prague, Czech Republic, in fall 2008. While at K-State, he has been involved in American Nuclear Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He has earned the Barton-Dobenin scholarship, Wege scholarship, Swanson scholarship, mechanical engineering scholarship, office of international programs scholarship and a Global Education Initiative scholarship. A graduate of Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, McCreary is the son of Thomas and Carol McCreary, Wichita. Before attending K-State, he also studied at Cowley County Community College and Rose State College.
Ruggles, a sophomore in human resource management, will study in San Jose, Costa Rica. At K-State, she has received a Montes de ca scholarship, College of Business Administration dean's scholarship, and a Global Education Initiative scholarship. The Winfield High School graduate is the daughter of Steve and Veva Ruggles, Winfield.
The Gilman International Scholarship is a congressionally funded program offered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education. One purpose of the Gilman Program is to encourage participation by students in a broad range of fields of study, including those not traditionally represented in study abroad.
"The Gilman is fairly unique in that it asks winners to propose a service project to promote study abroad after they return, and I think the students who win tend to be individuals who have done a good job of thinking through how they can reach an audience that will benefit from hearing about their experiences abroad," Hohenbary said.
Hohenbary said K-State has been competitive among other universities for Gilman scholarships. Twenty K-State students, including McCreary, Ruggles and Glanville, have won Gilman scholarships since the award's inception in 2002.