Four Auburn University students awarded Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship for study abroad

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Four Auburn University students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship for study abroad. The nationally competitive scholarship program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students to pursue academic studies around the world.

Shannon Bewley, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts from Birmingham and a member of the Honors College, is majoring in studio art and art history with a minor in German. She was awarded the scholarship to study with the College of Liberal Arts Art Summer Program in Rome.

Braxton Nelson, a sophomore in the College of Sciences and Mathematics from Lilburn, Georgia, is majoring in biomedical sciences with a pre-physical therapy concentration and minoring in Spanish. He was awarded the scholarship to study with the College of Liberal Arts Summer Program in Madrid.

Sarah Grace Simpson, a sophomore in the Saumel Ginn College of Engineering from Russellville, Alabama, and a member of the Honors College, is majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in Asian studies. She was awarded the scholarship to study in Shaghai, China, this summer.

Catherine Tabor, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts from Centreville, Alabama, and a member of the Honors College, is pursuing a double major in English and German international trade and a double minor in psychology and community and civic engagement.  She was awarded the scholarship to study in Vienna.

"We congratulate Shannon, Braxton, Sarah and Catherine who are each outstanding students and exemplars of Auburn University's commitment to access for all of its students," said Melissa Baumann, assistant provost and director of the Honors College. "Their hard work and academic achievement will be further enhanced by their respective study abroad programs and we wish them a cheerful bon voyage and a safe return."

"This was a banner year for Auburn with four successful Gilman applicants" said Deborah Weiss, director of Auburn Abroad, the university's study abroad program. "We work closely with the National Prestigious Scholarships Office in the Honors College to provide students with the assistance needed during the application process. In addition, we want returning Gilman Scholars to come and work for our office. They are an inspiration to students who are interested in going abroad and their outreach projects touch so many young lives and add to the cultural richness of the Auburn area."

The Institute for International Education, which oversees the program, is an independent, not-for-profit organization based in New York and founded in 1919. Its mission is to advance international education and access to education worldwide.

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Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.