TU Students win Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The Towson University Study Abroad Office is proud to announce that two Towson University students are among 950 American undergraduate students 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 abroad in Summer 2016.
Towson junior, Usjid Hameed, of Cockeysville, Maryland, is a Political Science major with a minor in History. He will be studying abroad with the CIEE Summer Arabic Language program in Amman, Jordan. After graduating, Usjid plans on pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations in order to eventually join the Foreign Service and work as a diplomat in the Middle East. He states, “as a Muslim myself, I feel a strong responsibility to work to bring some sort of stability to the violent parts of the Muslim world. I realize that this goal may come off as idealistic, however I firmly believe that peace will be restored not through the barrel of a gun, but through the clasp of a handshake.” Studying abroad in Jordan is one of the first steps to bring this admirable goal to fruition.
Towson junior, Jaime Smith, of Clinton, Maryland, is a Digital Art and Design major with a track in Game Design. She will be studying abroad with the TU in Japan program in Tokyo this summer. Her interest in Japanese culture has been developing from an early age, so having the opportunity to study in Japan will serve as a culminating experience and allow her to immerse herself in the Japanese way of life. Jaime also states that she chose Japan to prove that art majors need not be confined to Europe for studies abroad. She states, “I am looking forward to immersing myself in the culture: interacting with people, eating new cuisine, exploring, and practicing my language skills daily.” After graduating, she hopes to become a video game character artist with Nintendo in Japan.
Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship program costs. The program aims to diversity the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go. 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.
Congratulations to Usjid and Jaime! Best of luck and bon voyage.