By Cadeem Harris '17
Nakia Marion '16, Nelson Rivera '16, and Steven Haywood '17 have been selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad. The scholarship program allows undergraduate students the opportunity to study or partake in internship opportunities in non-traditional study abroad locations around the world.
Haywood, an Accounting and Spanish major, will be studying in Chile this fall.
"Past students told me about their experiences in Chile and I knew it would be a good fit for me. I was looking for a long program with emphasis on learning Spanish and classes that are taught in Spanish," Haywood said.
Rivera, a biology major with an interest in marine biology, will be studying in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador this fall.
"When I found out I had been selected I immediately told my mother," he said. "Being a first generation college student this means a lot to me."
Nakia Marion's decision was not so much influenced by her major, English, but more by her encounters over the course of her time at Siena. She is getting ready to study in Apia, Samoa in September.
"The experiences I've had at Siena, whether they're directly related to my major or not, have made me more aware of what skills I can develop further to help other people," she said. "I hope this experience will build upon what I have already gained."
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship was established in 2000 and named after New York State Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, who retired in 2002 after serving 30 years in the House of Representatives. Congressman Gilman was also the chairperson of the House Foreign Relations Committee.
