Students win national study abroad scholarships

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Oklahoma State University art and engineering scholars will enhance their educations with study abroad experiences in South Korea this semester and have received nationally competitive scholarships to pay for their stays.

Ashley Burt, a studio art sophomore from Stillwater, won the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The $2,000 award was given to 420 outstanding American undergraduate students from more than 230 colleges and universities throughout the United States for study during the 2007-2008 academic year. Burt will spend the year at
Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea, through the OSU reciprocal exchange program there. 

Gilman Scholars receive up to $8,000 to apply toward study abroad program costs. Applications for spring 2008 study abroad scholarships are due October 9, 2007 and are available at www.iie.org/gilman. Students receiving a federal Pell Grant from two- and four-year institutions are encouraged to apply. 

Blake McAskill, a civil and environmental engineering senior from Altus, received a $5,000 Freeman-ASIA Scholarship. He will attend Yonsei University in Seoul this fall through the OSU reciprocal exchange program and plans to pursue studies in engineering, as well as in Korean language and culture.

The Freeman-ASIA (Freeman Awards for Study in Asia) program is designed to support American undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study overseas in East or Southeast Asia. The program offers scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $8,000 for study during summer, semester and academic year programs.  Deadline for spring semester programs is October 17. 

The Gilman and the Freeman-ASIA scholarships are administered by the Institute of International Education. They are coordinated at OSU by the Study Abroad Office. For more information, visit the IIE website, http://www.iie.org or contact the OSU Study Abroad Office, 060-G Student Union, at 744-8569 or e-mail abroad@okstate.edu.