Angy Plata is currently in Costa Rica, living with a host family, attending classes and exploring the country. (Photo courtesy of Angy Plata)

Visiting a foreign country, studying abroad and experiencing culture firsthand may seem like an obstacle to may students, but to Angy Plata, junior psychology major, it was about “making memories that will last a lifetime.”

Plata, along with Carolina Chica, a sophomore communication studies and women and gender studies (WGS) major, won the Gilman International Scholarship this year, which is awarded every semester and aids in reducing the financial obstacles involved with studying abroad.

Jon Stauff, director of International and Off-Campus Programs, acknowledged the great value in the Gilman International Scholarship Program.

“[The Gilman Scholarship] is an opportunity for students already receiving a Pell Grant to receive up to $5,000 in additional aid to participate in an approved study abroad program,” he said.

To apply, applicants need high academic merit, they must already be collecting a Pell Grant (a federal program that provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students) and have a plan to share their experiences abroad with their students, friends and communities.

“These two young women completed an extensive application online and developed a plan to spread the word about their study abroad experiences,” Stauff said.

Chica, who will be studying at the American University in Cairo, knew she wanted to study abroad, but recognized that finances would be the biggest challenge.

“Where there is a will, there is a way,” Chica said. “One of the many reasons why people choose to not study abroad is because of their financial situation. I believe that things such as money should never be an excuse to not experience different cultures.”

Chica chose the American University in Cairo because of her WGS major.

“I will be taking WGS courses while abroad that include gender, power and the Islamic state,” Chica said. “I will study how government affects women, especially in Egypt and the Middle East.”

Plata is currently in Costa Rica living with a host family. She balances life with her “new” family along with classes she is attempting at Veritas University.

“I love my host family,” Plata said. “They are the most accommodating, supportive, loving family.”

Adapting to life in Costa Rica surprisingly has not been difficult.

“I feel like I’m home when I’m here,” Plata explained. “I don’t feel like I’m in a stranger’s house where I can’t touch or use anything.”

For Plata, figuring out how to study abroad and be a psychology major was somewhat of a challenge, but through careful planning she managed to dedicate the fall semester to her major and her studying abroad experience to fulfilling liberal learning requirements.

“The university I attend is an art, design and architecture school so all of their courses are geared towards those subjects,” Plata said. “I am fulfilling all five of the liberal learning and civic requirements. And at the same time, I feel like you don’t need a psychology class to learn about psychology. By interacting with so many different people you’ll learn about cultural differences which are always beneficial.”

Benjamin Rifkin, dean of the school of culture and society, said, “Love it or hate it, all the study abroad veterans with whom I’ve worked come back saying that they have been transformed by the experience. That’s why we call study abroad a transformative experience.”

Stauff explains, “If more Pell Grant recipients considered applying for the Gilman scholarship, they too may find themselves on a plane next semester heading to their study abroad destination.”

For Chica, looking around and asking the right questions were what got her to finally study abroad.

“Students need to do research and ask places such as the International and Off-Campus Programs office for advice on how to go about selecting and applying to schools,” she said. “As far as jitters go, they will always be there. But if hundreds of students have been through the experience, why can’t you?”

Both students are currently maintaining blogs documenting their experiences abroad.

For links to Plata and Chica’s blogs, go to tcnjsignal.net.