The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program Evaluation Report

Investigates whether the goals of the Gilman Scholarships, which are intended to help prepare recipients to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world, are being met. The evaluation studied the medium- and longer-term outcomes for recipients of the Gilman Scholarship between the years 2003 and 2010, and also considered the impacts of the scholarship on U.S. higher education institutions, and on the family and communities of scholarship recipients. The Evaluation data shows that the Gilman Scholarship is diversifying the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go by offering awards to U.S. undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints. From changed perspectives on the world and new interests in working on global issues to focusing academic pursuits on international topics and deepening foreign language skills, the Gilman Scholarship has enabled students of limited financial means to develop the knowledge and competencies required to compete in a global economy. The evaluation also uncovered many ways in which the Gilman Scholarship experience influences Scholars’ professional paths.