HOUGHTON STUDENT SELECTED FOR GILMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 9, 2007
CONTACT: Sarah Lingenfelter, Media Relations 585.567.9559

HOUGHTON STUDENT SELECTED FOR GILMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

HOUGHTON, N.Y. —Jocylin Pierro, a senior sociology major at Houghton College, is one of 420 outstanding American undergraduate students from over 230 colleges and universities across the U.S. awarded the Institute of International Education (IIE) Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

Pierro, from Lindsay, Calif., will study in Australia during the 2007-2008 academic year. Through the Gilman Scholarship she will receive up to $8,000 to apply towards her study abroad program costs. The Gilman Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the IIE’s Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas.

Since the establishment of the Gilman International Scholarship program by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 over 3,000 students nationwide have received this award. Congressman Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee, 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.”

Recipients of the scholarship have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages, and economies. According to IIE President Allan Goodman, “International education is one of the best tools for developing mutual understanding and building connections between people from different countries. It is critical to the success of American diplomacy and business, and the lasting ties that Americans make during their international studies are important to our country in times of conflict as well as times of peace.”