BMCC Named Top Producer of Gilman Scholars

The U.S. Department of State listed Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) as a top producer of students who were awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International scholarships in the 2016-2017 academic year.

The designation recognizes BMCC for its success in making international study and internships more accessible and inclusive for students of all backgrounds through the Gilman Program. 

BMCC, along with five other institutions, tied for fourth place on the list of Associates institutions nationwide. BMCC sent more students overseas on Gilman Scholarships during the 2016-2017 academic year than any other CUNY community college.

Over the years, BMCC Gilman scholars have studied in places as diverse as Greece, Argentina, Italy and China. BMCC currently has four Study Abroad programs in Italy, Spain, France and Mexico. 

“Because of the Gilman Scholarship, our students have been able to have a rich and rewarding academic experience in a country that they never would have been able to afford to visit, otherwise. They were able to have a firsthand experience of various cultures, learning from experts in the host country about the history of a culture other than their own,” said BMCC Study Abroad Manager Jessica Levin.

BMCC 2016 alumnus Michael Clark says his Gilman Scholarship allowed him to explore field research, an area that has since become the bedrock of his studies.

“This research directly influenced my decision to apply for a Fulbright U.S. Student Program research grant, and as a result I am currently in Kenya continuing the work I began in Uganda,” said Clark.

 When Clark returns to the United States, he plans to enter graduate school at the CUNY School of Public Health. 

Clark was one of the four BMCC students included in the 2016-2017 academic year. The others included Liberal Arts major Yandeli Cabrera, Childhood Education major Shakema Martin and Business Administration major Queena Cassandra Patricio.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, with the support of the U.S. Congress, is reshaping study abroad to make it more accessible and inclusive for American students. The Gilman Program broadens the U.S. student population that studies and interns abroad by providing scholarships to outstanding undergraduates who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise participate. Since the program’s establishment in 2001, more than 1,300 U.S. institutions have sent more than 25,000 Gilman scholars to 145 countries around the globe.  

For more information contact the BMCC Study Abroad office.