Section: Academics
Two students receive prestigious scholarships for travel to Japan and Argentina
Jun 10, 2009

Two Metro State students have won prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad. Junior Chanelle Libunao and sophomore Clevis Taylor are the first Metro State students ever to receive the scholarships.

“This is quite a thrilling development,” said Ali Thobhani, director of International Studies. “It helps make study abroad much more affordable for our students. I hope that this will be the first of many such scholarships to come for Metro State students.”

Offered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education, the congressionally funded scholarships are awarded based on merit and need, with a preference for those with diverse ethnic backgrounds who are interested in studying outside of Western Europe and Australia. This year, there were 1,927 applications for 850 possible awards. All recipients are also receiving Pell Grant funding.

Libunao, a junior majoring in integrative therapeutic practices with a minor in Spanish, won a $3,000 scholarship. She will head to Buenos Aires, Argentina next week, where she will remain for the next five and a half months. She will first take a month-long intensive Spanish language immersion class, then university classes in Argentinean customs and traditions, Spanish language and literature. Libunao said she hopes to speak to other Metro State students about her experience upon her return, to encourage more such educational travel.

Taylor, a sophomore linguistics major, is headed for Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan in September. Just 19 years old, Taylor has never been outside the United States, but says he has been a fan of Japanese culture since he was eight years old. “I started watching anime cartoons, and I was fascinated,” he said. By his freshman year of high school, he was teaching himself Japanese, special-ordering books and CDs from his school library. Though his high school didn’t offer Japanese, he was able to enroll in Japanese language classes at a neighboring high school.

“I’ve always been so fascinated with Japan, and wanted to really learn the language, but you can’t get fluent in Japanese in Denver, Colorado,” Taylor said. “I want to immerse myself in the language and culture, and come back more fluent.” Taylor has the added distinction of receiving the maximum amount offered by the Gilman program: $5,000.

“A lot of students believe study abroad is out of reach because of costs,” said study abroad advisor Carrie Bennet. “My hope is that students will be inspired by Chanelle and Clevis to see that it’s possible—and funding is available.”