Glorimar Estevez ’20 and Cassandra Georges ’19 are furthering their studies in psychology, linguistics, and public health through travel grants, while engaging in communities abroad. The pair are among 26 UMass Amherst students to earn Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships this year.

The Gilman Scholarship grant program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, gaining skills critical to national security and economic competitiveness. Of more than 10,000 applicants, fewer than 3,000 scholarships are granted annually.
 
Estevez, a sociology and Portuguese major, will use the funds to study abroad in Florianópolis, Brazil, for the 2018–19 academic year. In addition to courses in her majors, she plans to immerse herself in the culture, by teaching English in a local school, which will help her minor in education, and through community gardening.
 
In addition to her academic work and cultural learning, Estevez has one more goal—to become trilingual. She already speaks English and Spanish. “When you’re learning a language, there’s only so much you can do without experiencing the people and culture,” she says.
 
Georges, a public health major, traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, this past summer. She worked at an American health clinic and gained a new perspective on global health issues by examining them in an international setting. “Public health is really big in Thailand, and I’m interested in what kind of initiatives they’re tackling there,” she says.

Georges honored her upbringing as a foster child by volunteering at Baan Kingkaew orphanage. “It’s close to my heart,” she says.

The pair each received $2,000 from the Institute of International Education (IIE) Generation Study Abroad Travel Grant. The fund helps students from a broad range of backgrounds participate in academic, internship, or service-learning experiences abroad. They are among 50 of nearly 1,500 applicants to receive funding.