Mercer University had 15 students among more than 2,500 recipients from nearly 520 colleges and universities across the U.S. chosen during the spring selection cycle to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study or intern abroad.
These recipients bring the University’s total number of Gilman award recipients to 34 during the 2019-2020 academic year.
This University’s latest recipients include:
- Teni Aina, a junior majoring in international business, who planned to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program in France over the summer
- Joyell Bailey, a senior majoring in nursing, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to India over the summer
- Camryn Bierria, a junior majoring in media studies, who planned to participate in a study abroad program to Thailand in the fall
- Hailey Christian, senior majoring in public health, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to Guyana over the summer
- Savannah Duringer, a junior majoring in graphic design, who plans to participate in an exchange program with the University of the West of Scotland in the spring
- Evelyn Johnson, a sophomore majoring in history, who planned to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program to Greece over the summer
- Annie Lam, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to Vietnam over the summer
- Stephany Leal, a senior majoring in neuroscience, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to Guyana over the summer
- Walter Lopez-Chavez, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, who planned to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program to Ireland over the summer
- Kallie McDaniel, a senior double-majoring in English and history, who planned to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program to France over the summer
- Alexandra Norori, a senior majoring in psychology, who planned to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program to France over the summer
- Ayomide Odeboh, a senior double-majoring in chemical commerce and computer science, who planned to participate in an exchange program with the University of Essex in the fall
- Omar Peralta Rios, a senior double-majoring in chemical commerce and Spanish, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to Guyana over the summer
- Ja’Diyah Shamsiddin, a junior double-majoring in criminal justice and sociology, who planned to participate in a study abroad program to Thailand in the fall
- Alexandria Swinson, a majoring in political science, who planned to participate in a Mercer On Mission trip to South Africa over the summer
In addition, Mercer junior Marissa Murriel recently received the Gilman-McCain Scholarship to participate in the Mercer On Mission program in Ecuador.
A congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, the scholarship is named for the late Sen. John S. McCain from Arizona and provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad.
Murriel, from Columbus, is a global development major with a minor in Spanish.
During her study abroad experience in Ecuador, she will serve as a translator while improving her fluency in Spanish and learning more about social entrepreneurship.
