Cerritos College Student Awarded U.S. Department of States Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2017
Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 653-7878
NORWALK, Calif. – May 16, 2017 – Cerritos College student Maricela Ramos was awarded 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 summer 2017 academic term.
Maricela, English literature major, received $3,500 towards her study abroad program costs and will immerse herself in Shakespeare’s literature in England for four weeks this summer. She joins 1,200 American undergraduate students from 354 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive Gilman Scholarship. Maricela has been accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Southern California.
Cerritos College offers a study abroad workshop for students where a representative from the Gilman Scholarship Program provides information about the study abroad scholarship opportunity to students.
“I am excited to explore Shakespeare’s England, which is a dream comes true for any English literature student,” said Maricela.
The program aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. 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.
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.”
About Cerritos College: Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 23,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.
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