Christensen earns Gilman Scholarship
Cornell College junior Beckett Christensen has earned a Gilman Scholarship and will travel abroad to Indonesia next semester.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and provides Pell Grant recipients with funding for opportunities to study or intern abroad.
Christensen will spend the fall semester in the School for International Training’s Art, Religion, and Social Change program in Jakarta. This religion major from Mount Vernon, Iowa, is looking forward to learning about everyday life in another country.
“Traveling abroad has been one of two goals I have for my college experience. In my freshman year, I expressed this to Professor of Religion Steven Sacks, and over the course of the past year, we have worked together—with assistance from other faculty members—to make it a reality,” Christensen said.
Christensen will study Bahasa Indonesian (the national language of Indonesia), fieldwork and ethics, the intersection of art and religion, and the progression of social change in Indonesia.
Dungy Writing Studio Director and Director of Fellowships and Scholarships Laura Farmer helped Christensen with the application process.
“Beckett has been dreaming of studying abroad for a long time, and it’s so exciting to see everything come together for him,” Farmer said. “With his Gilman application, Beckett really took the time to consider how studying abroad in Indonesia would impact his life both personally and professionally, and I know he’ll have a transformative experience during his time abroad.”
For Christensen, he says this is an opportunity to leave the familiar and try something different.
“It’s a chance at growth,” Christensen said. “It’s also an expanded perspective on the world around me and a chance to experience the world outside of Iowa.”
The Gilman Scholarship provides up to $8,000 for study abroad costs–based on the applicant’s financial need. Students can apply for the scholarship to any program, any country, and for any length of time–block classes abroad also count. The next deadline is Oct. 5, 2023, and Farmer said she’s happy to answer questions for any interested students.
