Business analytics major receives prestigious Gilman scholarship to study abroad

Avian Rabenberg-Robinson, a junior business analytics major at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, is one of more than 800 American undergraduate students across the U.S. selected from nearly 3,400 applicants to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to study or intern abroad during the spring 2019 term.

Rabenberg-Robinson will study abroad in Germany at the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, which is run by Columbia University. He plans to study at the Freie Universität zu Berlin (Free University of Berlin), taking an art course at the Gemäldegalerie art museum. Rabenberg-Robinson, who is originally from Grafton, Wisconsin, also hopes to take courses in philosophy and German literature during his time in Germany.

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs.  The program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or internships abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S.  national security and economic competitiveness.

Students receiving a Federal Pell Grant from two- and four-year institutions who will be studying abroad or participating in a career-oriented international internship for academic credit are eligible to apply.  Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages, and economies -- making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector.

Notre Dame had five recipients and three alternates receive Gilman honors for spring 2019 — the University's best ever performance in a single cycle. Notre Dame’s Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) — which promotes the intellectual development of undergraduates through scholarly engagement, research, creative endeavors and the pursuit of fellowships — assisted students with the application process.

The late Congressman Gilman, served in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee. When honored with the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal in 2002, he commented, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates.  Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience.  It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

The program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).  The list of students who have been selected to receive Gilman Scholarships, including students’ home state, university and host country, is available on the website: gilmanscholarship.org.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) - For more than 50 years the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has sought to cultivate mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, and peaceful relations, as mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. ECA accomplishes its mission through a variety of exchange programs and other initiatives that support mutual understanding by protecting cultural heritage across the globe, and providing educational resources for people interested in learning about American culture and the English language. ECA programs engage participants from a variety of backgrounds and specialties. For more information about ECA programs, initiatives, and achievements, visit eca.state.gov.* * * * * * * *

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas.  An independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1919, the Institute is the world’s most experienced global higher education and professional exchange organization.  IIE has a network of 19 offices worldwide working with more than 1,200 member institutions and over 6,000 individuals with a commitment to the internationalization of their institutions.  IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government and private sources. These programs include the Fulbright and Humphrey Fellowships administered for the U.S. Department of State.  The Institute is a resource for educators and institutions worldwide (www.iie.org), publishing the Open Doors Report and operating www.IIEPassport.org and www.studyabroadfunding.org  search engines for study abroad program and study abroad scholarships.  For more information, please contact the Gilman International Scholarship at gilmanscholarship@iie.org.