Isaac Weeks, a University of North Alabama junior, has been named a recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The congressionally funded Gilman program seeks to broaden the perspective of students from the United States by providing scholarships to study and intern abroad, when financial constraints prevent the opportunity.
Weeks, of Town Creek, is a major in the Jeff Eubanks Culinary Arts Management program; he plans to spend a semester in Japan through UNA’s International Student Exchange Program partnerships through the Office of International Affairs.
“I’ve always wanted to visit Japan as a tourist, so studying abroad was a great way for me to experience the country’s vibrant culture and culinary scene first-hand and get to see a side of the country that most tourists don’t get the opportunity to see,” Weeks said.
As part of the scholarship, Gilman recipients must complete a community engagement project that encourages students to study abroad and to use scholarship resources to afford the cost. For his project, Weeks will showcase his culinary skills and knowledge of Japanese cuisine through cooking demonstrations for the UNA campus community.
“The Gilman Scholarship is one of the best scholarships out there for students looking to study abroad,” said Dr. Matthew Price, Director of the Center for Premier Awards and Scholarly Engagement, who worked with Weeks on his application and who has been a national reviewer for the Gilman Scholarship for the past two years. “Isaac’s application was absolutely stellar.”
Weeks also applied for and received additional funding within the Gilman Program called the Critical Need Language Award, which will help him learn Japanese while abroad. The Gilman Scholarship, coupled with a UNA Education Abroad Scholarship, will greatly reduce the cost of studying in Japan.
“When I initially applied for the Gilman Scholarship, I only expected to get a partial amount,” Weeks said. “When I received news that I received the full scholarship plus a supplementary language scholarship, it felt like I won the Poweball (lottery).”
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