August 20, 2018

Five Drexel students have been awarded Gilman Scholarships to study abroad for fall 2018 and one has been named an alternate. The prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, awards scholarships to American undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the United States to study or intern abroad during the fall or full academic year of 2018. Congratulations to all of Drexel's Gilman honorees! 

Waheed Rushdi, Business Administration '19
Study Abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland 

Waheed Rushdi a third year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration has received the Gilman Scholarship for his upcoming study abroad at the University of Aberdeen, one Scotland's oldest and most established universities.

Having a deep interest in international business, he is understandably most looking forward to the exposure to a foreign European country. He trusts that immersion into a new culture will allow him to better understand how those factors translate into industry and impact customer service.

Through his background as store manager at the Home Depot for many years, Waheed has gained an understanding and appreciation for the importance customer service is given in the United States, and is now looking to compare this standard to other countries in an effort to improve overall service.

Waheed is getting ready to embark on his next international journey and is most thankful for the support of his wife and children, Arhama and Saad.

Amna Khalafalia, Sociology '22
Study Abroad in Dubai

Amna Khalafalia is a first year Sociology major getting ready to embark on her study abroad journey at the American University in Dubai (AUD).

Originally from Sudan and now living in Philadelphia, Amna grew up around Arabic, but feels she has not yet developed the language as much as she would like. She is most excited about reconnecting with her mother tongue by immersing herself in an Arabic speaking environment. She is looking forward to travelling around the United Arab Emirates and absorbing as much of the culture as she can during her semester exchange.

She will be pursuing a program in Middle Eastern studies, a renowned program at AUD's School of Arts and Sciences.

Nneoma Nzeduru, Biomedical Engineering '20
Study Abroad in Hong Kong

Nneoma Nzeduru, a pre-junior studying Biomedical Engineering was awarded the Gilman Scholarship for her forthcoming semester abroad at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Having always had a fascination with Asia, it comes as no surprise that she is eager to experience as much of it as she can, through eventual trips to Japan, Singapore and Indonesia. She is also looking forward to tackling new disciplines at HKUST, including management and economics, which will provide an interesting contrast from the science and technology heavy courses her demanding degree requires.  

Nneoma views herself as a global citizen and is keen to translate all this international experience will offer into her future career in medicine. She hopes her journey will inspire students to dare to embark on their own exciting journeys and discover the vast world beyond their comfort zones.

*The list does not include the students who declined to have their names published online.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides U.S. undergraduate students financial support to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing internships abroad. The program supports many students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad, including but not limited to first-generation college students, students in STEM fields, ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, and students coming from U.S. states with less study abroad participation.

Learn more about the Gilman Scholarship and how to apply at Drexel.