Gilman International Scholarship Recipients

William Blakey​ (Interdisciplinary arts and sciences, Spanish, and Global Honors, BA 22)

I am a senior at UWT and have taken a non-traditional route towards medical school. I am wanting to pursue a career in trauma surgery and serve communities abroad. I am participating in the Spanish Language and Culture study abroad trip to Cusco, Peru and the CFHI Global Health Experiential Learning Program in Tarija, Bolivia this Fall. I am wanting to learn and experience as much as I can abroad. I am hoping these experiences early on during my undergraduate years will help me become a better provider in the future.

Quinten Barlow​ (Urban Studies, BA '22)

I will be participating in the ALBA Barcelona: Foster Partner Program. I have always had the desire to travel abroad, and I am interested in going to new locations and experiencing other cultures. Barcelona is a city with a rich, layered history and thriving culture, which is one of the main reasons I decided to participate in this program. This will be my first time traveling to Europe, and I am optimistic that my experience will be impactful to both my personal and professional development.

Kaytlyn Ruff (Psychology, BA 23)

I am a UW Tacoma student who will be participating in Prague- The Psychology of Culture, Food, and Human Development program, which will take place this summer. This will be my first time studying abroad. I will experience Prague through its neighborhoods, markets, museums, and travel to the nearby region of Moravia, explore food pathways and the impact of the Eastern Bloc communist state on contemporary food and life. I am so excited to share my experience.

Jasmine Delfin (Psychology, BA 22)

I will be studying abroad this summer 2022 in Prague. I will be studying in the Psychology of Culture, Food, and Human Development program. While abroad, I will explore the Czech foodways and the impacts of the world wars to the 40 years as an Eastern Bloc communist state ending with the Velvet Revolution along with the role of geopolitical forces in human wellness and development. I am very excited about this experience and can’t wait to share it all with you!

Natalye Guzman (Spanish Language & Culture and Psychology, BA '21)

Natalye planned to participate in the summer 2020 Spanish Language and Culture in Cusco, Peru program. "I've always wanted to visit South America; the Mesoamerican and Andean history fascinates me. I grew up understanding Spanish as I was born to Mexican parents, but I seek to recognize the complexities of Latinx culture. I intend to learn about different experiences on the continent of America in order to grasp a better understanding of the experience of immigrants and the Latinx community in the U.S." Due to COVID-19, she had to defer the award until 2021.

Degan Hussein (Biomedical Sciences, BS'21)

Degan planned to participate in the 2020-2021 academic year Korea University Exchange Program in Seoul, South Korea. "I was inspired to apply to this program because my minor is Korean, and I wanted to spend some time in the country that I was studying. This will be my first time living alone, and I hope that it will be an impactful time away from home. One of my passions has always been learning languages so I am excited for this opportunity." Due to COVID-19, she had to defer the award until 2021. Degan also received the Freeman-Asia award.

Nicole Hunter (Communication, BA' 20)

Nicole planned to participate in the summer 2020 Vietnam: Peace and Social Change program. Due to COVID-19, she had to defer the award until 2021.

Harmanjit Dhillon (Biomedical Sciences, BS' 21)

Harmanjit planned to participate in the early fall 2020 CFHI: Public Health and Community Medicine in Delhi, India program. Due to COVID-19, he had to defer the award until 2021.

Fadumo Diriye (pre-major, '20)

Fadumo will be participating in the 2018 CIEE Summer Korean Studies program in Seoul, South Korea.

Shivani Lal (Sustainable Urban Development, BA '19)

Shivani will be participating in the summer 2018 UW Urban Design and Planning United Kingdom: Sustainable Regional Development program.

Tina Van (Business Administration, BA '19)

Tina will be participating in the summer 2018 UW Tacoma Ecuador: Spanish Language and Culture program.

Vasika Cheng (Communication, BA '19)

Vasika will be participating in the Seoul National University Exchange program in South Korea for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Malinda Osborn (Communication, BA '18)

I am a first-generation Chamorro student and work at UW Tacoma Library and the Center for Equity & Inclusion where I develop events and workshops focused on Identity. I am very excited to study abroad in Italy with support from a Gilman International Scholarship in Winter 2018. I will be participating in the “Creativity and Place: Seeing and Re-seeing Rome and Italy” program.

Arwa Dubad (Philosophy, Politics & Economics, BA '18)

Arwa is honored to be studying in Brazil this summer with UW Tacoma Brazil: Movements and Intersections trip. She fell in love with South America during the summer 2016 when she had her first study abroad experience in Argentina. Less Going back to explore another region that is famous for the intersectionality of its people is exciting opportunity for Arwa. After the program, Arwa plans to visit the her high school to inspire students to attend college and study abroad.

April Lai (Business Administration, BA '19)

April is a sophomore studying Business Administration at UW Tacoma. She will be learning and exploring in China with the UWT Past and Present program for Summer 2017. Coming from Chinese descent she is ecstatic to learn more about her background and study Chinese economics. Less In addition, April is involved on campus as a Student Leader. She works as the Student Activities Board Entertainment Coordinator and advocates for First-Generation student success through a task force. April is running for Student Body Director of Finance and is motivated to help promote Study Abroad through these roles when she returns.

Natalie Lawrence (Psychology, BA '18)

Natalie is a transfer student from the South Puget Sound Community College and came to UWT largely in part due to the generosity of the Next Step Scholarship donors. She is a member of the Global Honors Program and a research assistant in the Behavioral Health Psychology lab on campus. Less This summer she will participate in the Brazil: Movements and Intersections program and has been drawn to Brazil because of their pioneering policy surrounding women's rights. Brazil has innovated women's police stations and Women's Rights Councils to help prevent and prosecute violent crimes against women; as well as realize women's rights as human rights. Creating a safer, more equitable world for women is something very important to Natalie. Natalie has also been awarded the Bamford Fellowship in Global Engagement; an undergraduate research opportunity in which she will be researching the intersections of rape, culture and policy within the United States and Brazil. She plans to pursue a career studying mental health disorders in order to innovate effective treatments, raise awareness, and relieve social stigma of those suffering with mental health disorders. With the privilege of education, she believes comes the duty to uphold marginalized voices. **Natalie also has been awarded the OGA Study Abroad Scholarship for 2017!

Najma Ali (Environmental Science, BS ‘17)

In addition to being a student, Najma works as a transfer peer advisor in our Office of Student Transition Programs. She will be studying abroad in Spain through UW Bothell’s Americans in Europe program. She looks forward to comparing questions of identity, diversity, and belonging between the U.S. and Spain.

Chelsea Huddy (Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Global Honors, BA ’17)

Chelsea has a long-standing interest in Japan and studied abroad at Kyushu University in Japan in the summer of 2016. It was the music and animes of the Japanese TV show InuYasha that first drew her to the country. While at Tacoma Community College, Chelsea worked with Japanese exchange students and started learning the language. Chelsea also worked in UW Tacoma's Office of Student Transition Programs when she was a student.

Adriana Meraz-Gonzalez (incoming transfer student)

Adriana is an incoming transfer student from Tacoma Community College (TCC). She plans to major in Communication and will be studying abroad in China (East to West China Study Abroad) this summer. At TCC, she was founder and president of the Scholarship Club that helped students identify and apply for scholarships and financial aid.

Diliman Abdulkader (Politics, Philosophy, & Economics, BA ’16)

In addition to being a student, Diliman served as a student senator, interned at Representative Derek Kilmer’s office, and has been raising awareness for Kurdish rights. He is also a student in our Global Honors Program. This past summer, he had the opportunity to study in China and is now looking forward to studying in Italy with a focus on European security. Academically, Diliman is most interested in international relations and human rights. He’s had a passion for politics since living in a refugee camp for seven years, after fleeing his home in Kurdistan.

Aimee Huynh (Psychology BA ’16)

Aimee is the recipient of a Spring 2015 Gilman Scholarship to Japan and spent a semester at Osaka University.

Aimee was excited to experience Japanese culture, study the language, try new foods, and learn in a new country. 

Aimee has been interested in the Japanese language and culture for a long time: "My interest ... started in my childhood when my father and brother would have anime movie nights."

Brian McQuay (Law & Policy BA ’16)

He was born in a small town in Missouri and joined the National Guard after graduating from high school. He is also a student assistant in the Office of Student Engagement. 

Growing up in a small town, he never really thought that he would have a chance to travel outside of the United States, especially to China: “Chinese culture and history [have] always fascinated me, and with such a rich culture I am very excited to have the chance to study and explore [the] country". His academic interests are in human rights, gender and sexuality, and he is planning to pursue a graduate degree in Gender Studies.

Faith Ramos (Sustainable Urban Development, BA ’16)

Faith is a returning student; she built her first career in arts and other non-profits on only a high school education after she had to leave college for both familial and financial reasons. Faith is also UW Tacoma’s first-ever Udall Scholar. 

Beleqsa Tamaami (Global Studies, Global Honors, BA ’16)

She hoped to learn more about Moroccan culture and study Arabic, a long-term personal goal of hers. She was also looking forward to experiencing her religion in a majority Muslim country, outside of the private sphere.

As the oldest in her family and a first generation college student, it was difficult explaining to her parents what study abroad is and what its benefits are. For this reason, Beleqsa is motivated to provide access to higher education opportunities such as study abroad to her siblings and youth from her community in the future.

On campus, Beleqsa worked in the Center for Service and Leadership as the Spring Breakaway Coordinator. Her 2015 spring service project focused on mentoring youth at the Willie Stewart Reengagement Center alongside other UW Tacoma students and staff volunteers.

Melissa Workman (Asian History, BA ‘16)

Melissa is a transfer student who has been away from college for 17 years. She first received a Physical Therapist Assistant A.A.S. degree in 1998. During her time away from school, she lived all over the U.S. and Europe and discovered that she had a deep passion for history and culture.

She is currently studying Asian History and minoring in Asian Studies and Education while being a single mom to two young boys and working whenever she's not studying or parenting. She plans to pursue a Master’s in either Education or Library and Information Science after graduation.