Three Carolina students have received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships: Camryn Kepley, Liana Kostak, and Maria Morava. The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages.
Camryn Kepley is a rising junior Psychology (BA) major from Apex, North Carolina on the pre-Masters in Teaching (MAT) track with plans to be an elementary school teacher after finishing undergraduate and Master’s programs. This fall, she is traveling to Greece with the College Year in Athens program to learn about Greek culture and history, while fulfilling general education credits for Carolina.
Liana Kostak is a rising senior at UNC studying Psychology and Biology and minoring in Medical Anthropology. She will be going abroad to Shanghai, China for the Fall 2019 semester. With the assistance of the Benjamin Gilman Scholarship, as well as the Lan Ma and Gang Pei Scholarship, she will have the opportunity to intern in Shanghai and take classes in Mandarin in a devoted effort to become a more global student and citizen. Upon returning to UNC, Liana, who was born in China and is returning for the first time, is excited to use her experiences abroad to teach a UNC Splash course, as well as reach out to the Asian/Adopted Community on campus to share her insights gained in China. Liana plans to pursue an MPH and is confident that this experience abroad will expand her knowledge and understanding of the larger world.
Maria Morava is a rising junior from Hendersonville, North Carolina majoring in Global Studies and Journalism. She will be spending the Fall semester in Jordan with an SIT Study Abroad program focusing on the regional refugee crisis and refugee health. She will be taking thematic classes as well as Arabic language classes, culminating in an option to pursue an internship or an independent study project. She is eager to further her Arabic language skills, have thoughtful conversations, and examine her own positionality as a foreigner and student of these sensitive topics in a different country.
