2012 Gilman Alumni Ambassadors

23 Pages·2013·1.44 MB·English

by  Causer, Sarah

Gilman Alumni Ambassador Program

The Gilman Alumni Ambassador Program is a diverse group of Gilman Scholarship recipients who
have studied abroad in various countries around the world. They are official ambassadors of the
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program providing presentations and promotional
outreach to university and college campuses around the nation to students and advisors interested in
learning more about the Gilman Scholarship Program. The Gilman Alumni Ambassadors have been
trained by the Gilman Scholarship Program.

If you would like to request a Gilman Alumni Ambassador to present at your campus or if you are
interested in becoming a Gilman Alumni Ambassador, please contact Gilman Scholars by email at
[email protected] if you have any questions.

2012 Gilman Alumni Ambassadors:

Recipients Page
David Belousov, Oral Roberts University, 2010, China 2
Adam Bushey, Le Moyne College, 2002, South Africa 3
Daniel Chahla, University of Minnesota, 2009, United Arab Emirates 4
Isthier Chaudhury, University of Rochester, 2009- 2010, China 5
Karyn Comeau, Mount Holyoke College, 2008 - 2009, Japan 6
Eamon Devine, Johnson County Community College, 2011, China 7
Amanda Eure, Winston-Salem State University, 2007, Ghana 8
Isabelle Feldhaus, University of Southern California, 2010, South Africa 9
Darrell Archie Frink, Middle Tennessee State University, 2011, Brazil 10
Terese Gagnon, University of Georgia, 2011, Peru 11
April Gillens, North Carolina A&T State University, 2008, Ireland 12
Rhaelynn Givens, McDaniel College, 2011, Hungary 13
Heather Hunt, Southern Methodist University, 2009, Egypt 14
Cindy La, University of California – Los Angeles, 2011, Chile 15
Latasha Solomon, University of Alabama, 2010, Jordan 16
John Spangler, George Washington University, 2008, India 17
Chris Standley, Texas A&M University, 2011, Brazil 18
Kaisha Sutton, Mount St. Mary’s University, 2011, Ecuador 19
Selina Thomas, University of California – San Diego 20
Andrea Thompson, Dillard University, 2004, South Africa 21
Amarylis Velez-Perez, University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, 2007, Spain 22
Victoria Winslow, Spelman College, 2010, China 23

1
David Belousov, China 2010
Oral Roberts University
Pennsylvania

As I traveled to Qingdao to study Development Trip to Paraguay to

International Business and learn the empower entrepreneurs and the

language and culture, and experience leaders of the next generation in this
it firsthand, I learned everything that I globalized era. I also travelled to

could from the entire experience and Panama with a business owner as a

became a more understanding, consultant for his international
responsible, and significant member logistics business, utilizing the
of the global community. The company I launched upon my return

principles and lessons learned from to the USA from South America, and

the entire life-changing experience I work with contacts across the globe
definitely helped me understand the to create global synergy in commerce
A world better, understand my purpose and communication.
s I stepped off the airplane and in it, and empowered me to live an
effective, meaningful, purpose-driven My academic study of International
gazed at the new unfamiliar land all
life to help others do the same. Business and Spanish at ORU was
around me, I had no idea what
awaited me in this great country. My beneficial, but my global experience
Through my entire global experience, through study abroad with the
family came across the Atlantic on
I definitely grew in my academic Gilman Scholarship was very crucial
the first direct flight to the U.S.A
understanding and application of in shaping me into the global
from the crumbling Soviet Union.
With nothing besides the clothing on International Business, as a person entrepreneur I am today, and
our backs, we had no idea of the and member of the global community, preparing me for the global
and as an International Business opportunities that await.
great opportunities awaiting us in the
Professional. The entire experience
United States and beyond.
was a perfect complement to the

International Business theory that I
I always dreamed of working in
international business, development, learned at Oral Roberts University,
and diplomacy, bringing the world and together this was the perfect “My global experience
closer together through globalization. combination for a well-rounded through study abroad with
education, with which I graduated as
Through the Gilman Scholarship, I the Gilman Scholarship was
the Top ORU International Business
was given the opportunity to study very crucial in shaping me
Major of the Class of 2011.
abroad in China, where I gained a
into the global entrepreneur

greater understanding of the global
Following graduation I travelled with I am today.”
community, economy, and potential.
an ORU College of Business

F o l l o w - o n S e r v i c e P r o j e c t

For my Follow-On Service Project, I experiences through panel questions, Through the ORU Study Abroad
organized the first ever Oral Roberts discussions, and multimedia. We set Council, I laid a strong foundation,
University Study Abroad Council to off a domino effect, and were then which continues on and keeps the
educate, inspire, and empower able to partner with various clubs, fire of study abroad and the Gilman
students to study abroad. We held organizations, and university faculty Scholarship forever burning in the
our first meeting in conjunction with and staff to effectively promote study heart of ORU.
the Spanish Club, French Club, and abroad and the Gilman Scholarship.
Hebrew Club, where all the students
who had studied abroad shared
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 2
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Le Moyne College 
New York 
of my new friends' homes. I anti-corruption, and legislative
volunteered every other day for strengthening worldwide. I
three months at a destitute high support activities to improve the
school that lacked books and a accountability, transparency and
sewage system. Helping these responsiveness of governing
kids was the pinnacle of my study institutions, systems and
abroad experience. I was awed by processes, as well as assisting with
both their humility and civilian-military operations.
pride. Even in their poverty,
hunger, and other disadvantages,
they still evinced good manners, “It was an incredibly
respect, and a will to succeed. It maturing and humbling
was an incredibly maturing and experience that shaped
I
humbling experience that shaped my resolve to assist those
t was from thought provoking my resolve to assist those in the in the world most in
conversations, my own limited world most in need. need.”
financial means, and my yearning
to someday be able to help those I now work for the U.S. Agency
most in need that made me want for International Development During my 2010 deployment to
to study abroad in South Africa. (USAID) as a Democracy Afghanistan with the Army, I
Receiving the Gilman International Specialist. After graduating from coordinated the infantry brigade’s
Scholarship was the only way I State University of New York, ROL and governance efforts to:
was afforded the opportunity to Buffalo’s Law School with honors, offer Afghans meaningful access to
study abroad and work as a I was hired to the agency through fair, efficient, and transparent
volunteer coordinator during the the prestigious U.S. Presidential justice; and help increase the
United Nations' Summit for Management Fellowship program. Afghan government's legitimacy
Sustainable Development in The biggest contributing factor to and improve its perceptions
Johannesburg. helping me attain my current job among Afghans by promoting a
at USAID was my South Africa functional and efficient judicial
In South Africa, I befriended study abroad experience through system. I was awarded
Africans, learned Zulu, and the Gilman Scholarship Program. the Bronze Star Medal for
partook in ceremonies and At USAID, I have worked on meritorious service during my ten-
traditional weddings. I slept in issues related to counter- month deployment.
mud homes, and was the first insurgency, civilian-military
White person ever to enter many operations, Rule of Law (ROL),
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My Follow-on Service Project about my experience in South students to realize that even
included speaking at college Africa. In addition, I gave a under financial constraints, it is
forums about the importance of presentation about Africa to the possible to receive a higher
studying abroad. I encouraged the students I tutored at an education degree and even study
audience to study in non- afterschool program through abroad through programs such as
traditional destinations by talking AmeriCorps. I wanted the the Gilman Scholarship.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Daniel Chahla, United Arab Emirates, 2009
University of Minnesota
Minnesota

technology through the eyes of along with its Bedouin roots enticed

the developer as well as the end me. Without the Gilman Scholarship

user. Much of my work revolved I would not have been able to afford
around listening to customers to attend the American University of
citing their problems, fixing the Dubai. While abroad, I took mostly

issue, and explaining to them how business and political science courses

and why the problem happened. that offered an extremely unique
In each of these phases, I international perspective. This

underwent countless iterations of perspective not only came from my

learning by discovery. Intuitively, I professors, but also my peers. I had

designed an innovative software the opportunity to learn from the
idea that Apple initially invested in local Emiratis.

and abandoned after discovering I
M was only 17 years old. Shortly Since graduating, I have founded my
y parents are refugees of the thereafter I founded and operated my own web design company in
own non-profit technical support Minneapolis. I recently expanded my
Lebanese civil war. I am the youngest
center with the prospects of gaining developing wings by generating cross
of four first-generation children
credibility in the real world. In return platform applications for mobile
raised to do what we loved and to do
for services, my clients donated to devices. I focused on designing an
it the best we can. My parents
Human Efforts in Aid of Lebanon interactive user experience that
implored that we use education as
(HEAL). By my 19th birthday, my allows non-tech savvy individuals to
the keystone to our personal
company (First-VM) had raised over be rich but intuitive.
development. During my humble
upbringing in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I $30,000 for refugees like my parents.

developed a keen interest in With the support of St. Paul Central’s

exceptional faculty I was honored
technology. I instinctively developed
with a number of scholarships. My
a passion for repairing broken
“I took mostly business and
strong support network within the
electronics at a young age. I started
political science courses that
Twin Cities compelled me to attend
to experiment with hardware and
the University of Minnesota. offered an extremely unique
software as I repaired broken
electronics others had discarded. international perspective.”
Within my first semester, I desired to
I came to combine this hands-on
gain a more international perspective.
learning with my work at the Geek
The large influx of growth in Dubai
Squad. This enabled me to see

F o l l o w - o n S e r v i c e P r o j e c t

Outside of school, I immersed myself event happening in Dubai. I giving them new access to proper
in Dubai’s attractions, but my eye researched the event online and sanitization and bandage equipment.
often wandered to the immigrant applied to set up a booth. In the I gave a presentation at my home
constructions workers who labored following weeks, I was able to map a campus about this outreach to
at the city’s numerous building sites. cost effective plan to set up first-aid spread awareness of the Gilman
I was able to find funding to buy kits in dense construction zones. Scholarship and how involved one
these migrant workers first aid kits. With a $2,500 donation, my Follow- can be to learn from and help your
One hot day, I received an email on Service Project ultimately community no matter where in the
from the Gilman Scholarship inviting benefitted 30,000 labor workers, world.
me to an Education Without Borders
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 4
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University of Rochester 
New York
gain fluency in Mandarin, but to inconveniences, but all of them
gain cultural immersion and learn bringing lasting friendships with
about science in China both in a people now all over the world.
historical context and a laboratory
setting.
“The Gilman International
Scholarship ended up giving
My study abroad program was
me the chance to not only
officially an academic year of
gain fluency in Chinese, but
intensive Chinese language study
to gain cultur al immersion
at Peking University in Beijing,
and learn about science in
China. Once I settled in to my
China both in a historical
routine of daily language classes, I
context and a laboratory
set off to look around setting..”
nanomaterials labs both at Peking
and neighboring Tsinghua
University, before choosing one to Outside of academics, I took
carry out a small research project Tai’chi classes. One place I made
and gain truly unique a particular point of visiting as part
undergraduate research of my personal science
experience. When my academic enrichment, was the Dujiangyan
program concluded, I stayed on irrigation system in Sichuan. The
F
through my summer vacation, system is a testament to the
or engineering majors, study learning about China’s laboratory engineering prowess of ancient
abroad opportunities are hard to and research cultures, as well as China, as it was built more than
come by and study in China is lots of technical vocabulary 2,000 years ago to deal with
almost unheard of. So when I got relating to my field of work. Living flooding, cut through a
the chance to travel there for a arrangements varied throughout mountainside before the invention
year of language study, I hoped to my year there, as I went from of explosives, and is still in use
go beyond my goal of language living in dorms on campus in the today. Finally, before leaving
proficiency and find a way to fall, to a homestay in the spring, China, I visited the 2010 World
connect my experience with my and then a student apartment Expo in Shanghai. I had a taste not
scientific background. The Gilman shared with seven other Chinese only of China, but of the rest of
International Scholarship ended up students in the summer; each one the world as well.
giving me the chance to not only bringing their own comforts and
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For my Follow-on Service Project, audiences. I also became involved high schools for their
I decided to dedicate my efforts to with my school’s study abroad “International Week,” taking the
promoting study abroad amongst office, helping persuade lead in introducing them to life
science and engineering majors, by engineering students that study and culture of China.
giving presentations of my abroad was feasible and worth the
experience in China to several effort to plan for. I visited local
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
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Mount Holyoke College 
Massachuse(cid:425)s 
in rural exchange, there were also many
Massachusetts. I set people who were interested in
my sights on going to learning about life in the United
a Japanese university States. In a rather unexpected
with one of the most turn of events, I introduced my
rigorous language Japanese peers to the microwave
programs. popcorn and California rolls.
While learning about Japanese
Every day consisted of culture I began to look at my own
three to four hours of background through a different
language instruction, lens.
and every night
consisted of studying
for daily vocabulary “I knew that in order to
I quizzes. Between taking an achieve a higher level of
have always been interested in intensive language class and my fluency I would have to

learning languages. Throughout daily life in Japan, my written and pursue Japanese beyond
what I could do in rural
my youth I enjoyed studying oral comprehension improved
Massachusetts.”
Spanish and Chinese. When I drastically. I was able to hold my
found that my college offered own in conversations like I was
Japanese, I jumped at the never able to before. I find that the year I spent studying
opportunity to broaden my abroad taught me many things. I
linguistic horizons. I devoured I decided to live in a public dorm became more aware of myself and
everything that I could get my rather than a home stay. I found the assumptions and beliefs I hold
hands on: Japanese music, that this gave me an opportunity because of my background. I
television and language exchange. to interact with a large group of learned to let go of these
I found that my language skills people, from various areas within assumptions, and to see things
were not progressing as quickly as Japan and as well as those from a different perspective. As I
I wanted. I heard that the easiest attending different universities. made a place for myself in Tokyo,
and most effective way to learn a Through my peers I was a city of millions, I came to
language is through immersion. introduced to activities such as appreciate my ability to adapt and
With this in mind, I knew that in visiting Shinto shrines to make thrive in foreign environments.
order to achieve a higher level of wishes as well as going to karaoke The self-reliance and confidence
fluency I would have to pursue to sing Japanese songs. Just as I that I gained abroad still serves to
Japanese beyond what I could do was excited about cultural help me to this day.
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Upon my return to the United Asia with a focus on the Gilman a Gilman Alumni Representative, I
States, I collaborated with other Scholarship. I also dedicated time am hoping to reach out to even
students to create a website each semester to present to those more people who are interested
dedicated to studying abroad in interested in studying abroad. As in studying abroad.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Eamon Devine, China, 2011
Johnson County Community College
Kansas

molded the way I think about my current academic plan is to

the world. I lived within major in International Business

another culture and brought and someday return to participate

back a deeper sense of in an internship in China. I would

understanding about this big like to thank all of the people at
world that we live in. I will also the Gilman Scholarship and the

be going back, as much as I can, U.S. Department of State for

to continue to learn Chinese making all of it possible. Because
and study international of your scholarship, my life has

business. I simply cannot get been enriched and I have more

enough of traveling abroad now direction than I had before.

that I have done it. In China I

made a lot of very nice friends,

and tutored a student with his
G English; learning much from these

rowing up, I assisted my people as I am sure they learned

much from me. In addition to
father with teaching English as a
these friends, I also had many
Second Language (ESL) courses
“The study abroad
interactions with people on the
and developed an enthusiasm for
street and in places of business. experience I had was
languages. After mastering the
These interactions truly helped my amazing . . . It has shaped
Spanish language, I took an
introductory course in Mandarin, communication skills. me into a more serious
and my love for it transcended all student with an
The study abroad experience I had
of my other passions. With the international career goal.”
was amazing, just writing about it
intent of gaining fluency in the
makes me reminisce about all the
Chinese language, I decided to
great times I had. It has shaped
study abroad in Nanjing, China.
me into a more serious student

with an international career goal.
My experience in another country,
Previously, I had planned on
far away and very different from
majoring in Economics, but now
my own, was something that has

F o l l o w - o n S e r v i c e P r o j e c t

As a part of my Gilman Follow-on non-traditional student myself, my the eligibility requirements one
Service Project, I gave a goal was to give motivation to must meet in order to apply. I
presentation to an audience of students who are in the same also mentioned other scholarships
GED students about my position I once was and show and assured the students that
experience in China and how the them how far they can go to there are a lot of resources to
Gilman Scholarship helped with achieve their goals. I spoke more utilize if they want to study
my program expenses. Being a about the Gilman Scholarship and abroad
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 7
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Winston‐Salem State University 
North Carolina
commemorating Ghana’s Since my study abroad experience
independence. On the campus, I in Ghana, I have studied abroad in
took a variety of classes: the Twi South Africa and Dominican
language, traditional African dance, Republic. After I graduated with
and history of Ghanaian music, my bachelor’s degree in
along with my math courses, Mathematics from Winston-Salem
Elementary Statistics and Ordinary State University in 2010, I
Differential Equations. I volunteered as a secondary
volunteered as a teacher’s mathematics teacher at Diamond
assistant at University Primary Secondary School in Guyana for
Village Basic School. In my free 2010-2011 academic school year.
time, I had private painting classes
and group salsa dancing classes.
“I had the opportunity to do
On the weekends, I visited several a short-term homestay. This
national monuments and experience further helped
attractions. me practice my newly
S acquired language skills in
tudying abroad in Ghana was I had the opportunity to do a Twi and to learn more about
the Ghanaian culture.”
one of the most memorable short-term homestay. This
experiences I ever had during my experience further helped me
undergraduate years at Winston- practice my newly acquired Now, I am entering my
Salem State University (WSSU). I language skills in Twi and to learn second year in my Applied
studied abroad at the University of more about the Ghanaian culture. Mathematics Master’s program at
Ghana in Legon through the At the end of my study abroad North Carolina Agricultural
International Student Exchange program, I became one of the &Technical State University. After
Program (ISEP). At the time, famous faces on campus after graduate school at NCA&T, I plan
Ghana was celebrating its being spotted in the same to pursue a doctorate in applied
50th Independence Anniversary newspaper as John Legend (R&B mathematics and apply for the
from Great Britain. I had the artist) and Luciano (Jamaican Boren Fellowship to study Zulu
opportunity to participate in a few Reggae artist) after attending the language and conduct dissertation
of the celebrations around the benefit concert for flood victims in research in South Africa.
country and collect souvenirs northern Ghana.
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For my Follow-on Service Project, encourage the students to live out Services, which supports first-
I had a show-and-tell at my former their dreams and travel across the generation, low-income, or
middle school with the sixth world to gain more exposure to disabled students, about the
graders. I dressed in African attire different cultures and ethnic Gilman Scholarship and WSSU
and showed the students the groups. Office of International Program’s
many items I collected while scholarships and programs to
staying in Ghana, such as paintings, At my university, I held an support WSSU students who are
masks, wood carvings, drums, information session for students considering study abroad.
and kente cloth. I aspired to served by Student Support
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
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University of Southern California 
California
The nature of my volunteer work at However, despite passion and drive,
People Against Suffering, I realize that the incredible
Oppression, and Poverty (PASSOP), experiences I had in Cape Town
a local nonprofit human rights would have been impossible
organization, and the Brooklyn TB
Chest Hospital, a facility serving
“The nature of my
those who cannot afford volunteer work...gave
tuberculosis care and treatment, direct insights into the lives
gave direct insights into the lives of of a majority of South
a majority of South Africans. Africans. Th rough these
Through these roles, I experienced roles, I experienced first-
first-hand the operation of the hand the operation of the
South African health system. South African health
M PASSOP introduced me to the system.“
y semester studying abroad at challenges of policy development
the University of Cape Town amidst a diverse and volatile without the funding granted through
proved to be one of the most population, while my position at the the Gilman Scholarship. The
enlightening and rewarding of my hospital demonstrated the exceptional opportunities that have
college career. Cape Town’s implementation of national arisen as a result of my participation
powerful history of apartheid and healthcare policies. Perceiving an as a Gilman Scholar have proven to
reconstruction, diverse culture, intense need for health systems be critical in shaping my academic
ongoing development, and development focused on and career paths today. As I pursue
considerable global health burden traditionally underserved my life goals further, I am continuing
comprised an ideal setting in which communities solidified my my studies and further research in
to explore my varied interests commitment to work in international health systems at the
within topics of human rights, international health. Building Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
international development, and HIV/ lifelong friendships, shaping my Public Health. Working to improve
AIDS. As I explored the country’s worldviews, and inspiring my health systems and policies in low-
museums, experienced an array of current academic and professional and middle-income countries, I am
rich cultures, and encountered a goals, my experiences in South excited to make my own positive
wholly different political Africa set a course for my life in the impact upon the world as a
environment, I found that I learned field of global public health and conscious global citizen continuing
more about the world as well as policy. to learn through global service.
about myself when I ventured
outside of the classroom. Before entering college, I knew that
I wanted to study abroad.
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My Follow-on Service Project was a health system with regard to its Global Scholar for my work,
research paper presented at a school- capacity to address HIV/TB co- awarding me with a $10,000 grant
wide study abroad fair and selected infection as a major driver of toward graduate studies. Through
campus organizations. Inspired by a morbidity and mortality in South these outlets, I inspired study abroad
young girl at Brooklyn TB Chest Africa. Upon graduation, my home participants to study in non-
Hospital, I focused on the national institution recognized me as a USC traditional and diverse destinations.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
D. A(cid:217)(cid:145)(cid:171)(cid:174)(cid:155) F(cid:217)(cid:174)(cid:196)(cid:187), B(cid:217)(cid:131)(cid:254)(cid:174)(cid:189), 2011
Middle Tennessee State University 
Tennessee
based on subsistence agriculture - undergraduate at the largest
highly advanced and traditional international organization within my
slash-and-burn technology - which academic field was an overwhelmingly
is utilized to produce a wealth of rewarding experience, and allowed
food. Perhaps counterintuitive to me to meet and network with
Western visions of lush, green superiors, which could provide
rainforest, due to the natural
environmental composition,
“The Gilman International
rainforest soil is generally very low
Scholarship Program, in its
in nutrients. Slash-and-burn
tenth anniversary year, gave
technology is highly advanced for
me the unique opportunity
maintaining steady and consistent
I crops, and is resistant to unexpected to pursue my original
ethnographic research while
n my discipline of Anthropology, environmental changes. I learned
living with a host family in
research attempts to understand how about these advanced agricultural
the Brazilian Amazon
political and economic processes and methods and how they affect
rainforest.”
institutions affect groups of people communities’ political and economic
both locally and globally. Typically, engagement among a small peasant
students do not receive the academic community of African slave refugee
and logistic opportunity to become descendants. These people, crucial leverage for my future
ethnographers, or researchers, until quilombos, have shared a strong academic development.
graduate school. The Gilman collective history of solidarity and Due to my presenting research at the
International Scholarship Program, in hold a unique position within the American Anthropological
its tenth anniversary year, gave me greater municipality district. Thanks Association conference, I have
the unique opportunity to pursue my to my academic superiors and the established contacts and written two
original ethnographic research while Gilman Scholarship, I was able to articles for international web and
living with a host family in the begin learning about their ways of life print publication, including the
Brazilian Amazon rainforest. by practicing participant observation Pulitzer Prize-winning Huffington
and interviewing elders in the Post. Conducting this research was
Accessible only by series of boats big community. an overwhelmingly humbling
and small, over thirty-eight hours experience, and has taught me so
from Belém where the mouth of the Conducting this research led to many much personally and intuitively about
Amazon River feeds into the Atlantic academic and professional the true values in our modern, global
Ocean, the state municipality of opportunities, as well as a simply world. Because of the Gilman
Gurupá was where I spent my incalculable leap in my personal Scholarship, not only have I been able
summer. Locals in the central town development. I presented research at to begin my professional
of Gurupá and along the tributaries in my university’s undergraduate social development and gain positive
the interior have a unique economic science symposium, as well as at the research experience, but more
livelihood, political development and American Anthropological importantly I understand the world a
culture to the rest of Brazil. The Association conference in Montréal. little more intricately, in its frailty,
local economy is predominantly Presenting my research as an generosity and humility.
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I authored a blog about my personal countries across six continents. grant and research proposal writing,
experiences while in the Amazon When I returned, I began mentoring which I have continued through
which has been read in over twenty undergraduate students in successful graduation.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs