Cotton earns Gilman Scholarship
Cornell College junior Olivia Cotton 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. Thanks to her strong application, Cotton also received a Critical Need Language Award, which provides additional funding for language study.
Cotton will spend the fall semester in the School for International Training’s Art, Religion, and Social Change program (SIT). This Colorado native, who has never traveled abroad, is working toward an individualized major in international sales and marketing.
“I have a lot of admiration for Olivia,” said Laura Farmer, Cornell director of fellowships and scholarship. “She was fearless when it came to revising her four Gilman application essays, and she really demonstrated how this SIT program is the natural next step for her professionally and personally. I know she’ll flourish as part of this program and I can’t wait to see what she does next.”
Cotton says she’s looking forward to experiencing the Indonesian culture first-hand.
“This scholarship means a lot to me because I am ready to study abroad without worry of money or a lack of support,” Cotton said. “It will give me the opportunity to learn more perspectives, open me up to cross-cultural influences, and teach me about different norms and values that other cultures share. I will mostly be studying cultural norms and religious practices. I am very much looking forward to seeing the temples, going to ceremonies, and participating in rituals.”
Cotton will be in Indonesia from Sept. 10 through Dec. 23. She points out that she’s especially excited to participate in meditation retreats, learn the Bahasa Indonesian language, and witness the differences in environment, architecture, and artistic expressions.
Cotton wants to thank Farmer and Associate Director of Operations and Career Coaching Danielle Linkenmeyer for helping her with the Gilman application process.
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. 10, 2024. Contact Laura Farmer (lfarmer@cornellcollege.edu) if you have questions.
