Gilman scholars to focus on international business, food systems and service
Friday, June 2, 2023
MANHATTAN — Two Kansas State University students will be traveling for education abroad as the university's latest Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipients.
Haley Schwartz, senior in entrepreneurship and innovation, Olathe, and Rachel Sebesta, senior in agricultural education, Wilson, were selected as awardees for the competitive federal scholarship.
The Gilman scholarship provides up to $5,000 to help U.S. undergraduate students at two-year or four-year colleges or universities participate in study abroad programs worldwide. Gilman scholarships are congressionally funded and were established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000.
Schwartz plans to use the scholarship to study international business in Spain.
"This scholarship is allowing me to broaden my cultural understanding and have an immersed learning experience in international business," said Schwartz. "I love how Gilman is seeking to give opportunities to students in need to go abroad and encourage U.S. relations with other countries, and I hope to embody this purpose throughout my time in Spain."
Schwartz's travel will fulfill requirements for her international business certificate program at K-State. She has been recognized on the dean's list and with the Scofield Family Business Scholarship, and she is a member of the Kansas State University Marching Band. The daughter of Stacy and Paul Schwartz, Olathe, Schwartz graduated from Olathe Northwest High School.
Sebesta will travel to South Africa as part of an international service team with the help of the Gilman scholarship.
"This scholarship is providing me with an opportunity that I might not otherwise have," said Sebesta. "With the Gilman, I'm going to be able to finish curriculum for my Global Food Systems Leadership secondary major as well as experience agriculture and food systems in a different context. I'm excited to have this opportunity to learn more about global issues that I've become very invested in from this past semester."
Sebesta has earned semester honors from fall 2021-spring 2023 and was selected as the College of Agriculture March Student of the Month in 2023. She is a member of the College of Agriculture Ambassadors and treasurer of the Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Society as well as service co-chair of the Agricultural Education Club. Sebesta has also earned an American FFA degree. The daughter of Susan Kurz-Sebesta and Mark Sebesta, Wilson, Sebesta graduated from Ellsworth Junior Senior High School, Ellsworth.
"We are thrilled to have two more K-State recipients of the Gilman Scholarship," said Beth Powers, director of K-State's Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. "Gilman's goal of enabling students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad parallels K-State's land-grant mission of access to opportunity. Haley and Rachel, in their programs in Spain and South Africa, will gain knowledge and skills that will help them grow professionally and personally as well as allow them to share their experiences with the campus community next fall."
Students interested in learning more about Gilman scholarships can contact the Education Abroad office or the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships.
