4 UK students receive Gilman Scholarships for international study

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 28, 2024) — Four University of Kentucky students were awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for educational experiences abroad.

The congressionally-funded scholarship supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to national security and economic prosperity. The Gilman Scholarship is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award — ranging from $100 to $5,000 — to cover the cost of tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

The UK students receiving Gilman Scholarships include:

• Briana Johnson, a vocal performance junior from Louisville, Kentucky;
• Alayna Johnson, a secondary social studies education sophomore from Fairdale, Kentucky; and
• Dylan Nguyen, a psychology junior from Union, Kentucky

One of UK’s recipients chose to remain anonymous.

Briana Johnson began her journey to music in middle school choir, and that experience gave her the performance bug, which propelled her to high school choir, Governor’s School for the Arts and UK.

“Music is my home: understanding harmony, rhythm, and technique gives me joy,” she said. “It also really challenges me; I would argue that’s part of what makes it worthwhile.”

This summer Johnson, the daughter of Cindy and Brent Johnson, studied in Austria, the birthplace of prodigious composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. While there, she took voice lessons, a German class in which she said she improved her German lyric diction and studied music history.

“The classes provide a chance to deepen my understanding of the German Language and learn the significance of prolific Austrian composers like Mozart,” she said.

Johnson said her time in Austria was eye-opening and life-affirming.

“Studying abroad in Austria has solidified two beliefs of mine: I am more capable than I ever thought to be, and the world is one big classroom. I was always adapting and absorbing, from learning to thrive with a language barrier to navigating a foreign country on my own,” she said. “Furthermore, I developed a deeper connection to music as a classical musician through voice lessons, history, impromptu performances and concerts. I left Austria with a heavy, yet eager heart — I was leaving the community I had just begun to call home while also itching to explore another country and culture.”

Dylan Nguyen spent his summer studying at Aix Marseille University in France and has his eye on returning there after he graduates from UK.

“Coincidentally, when researching potential schools for cognitive psychology, I saw Aix Marseille University's master's program for Cognitive Psychology Lab,” Nguyen said. “Attending Aix Marseille University’s undergraduate study abroad program will place me strategically for future admission to Aix Marseille University’s master’s program and its Cognitive Psychology Lab.”

Nguyen had a connection to France even before he began his overseas studies. His father was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“There was always this influence of French culture I wasn’t fully aware of,” he said. “Of course, naïve me should have known that celebrating French holidays like Mardi Gras was not typical, but they were holidays instilled into my American and Vietnamese culture.”

Alayna Johnson’s internship will take her to Portugal, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Thailand, through the Semester at Sea Chapman Impact Cohort.

Johnson, the daughter of Alan Johnson and Tammy Wilson and stepdaughter of Kelly Johnson, is one of 25 students selected for the cohort. She sets sail Sept. 9.

“This is my first time out of the country and my first time on a ‘cruise’ ship. I cannot wait for the ship community, the classes I will take on board and the lifelong friends I hope to make,” she said. “I am so excited to see the world, continue working towards my degree and do so while being a first-generation student.”

In addition to coursework in sociology aboard the ship and taking history microeconomics field classes in Hong Kong and Morocco, Johnson will work with the Grootbos Foundation, a nonprofit conservation organization, for four days in Cape Town, South Africa.

 The Gilman Scholarship holds two application cycles per year, with the next deadline on Oct. 10 for internships abroad between Dec. 1, 2024 and Oct. 31, 2025.For more information, visit https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/.

About the UK Office of Nationally Competitive Awards

The UK Office of Nationally Competitive Awards assists current undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni in applying for external fellowships scholarships funded by sources (such as a nongovernment foundation or government agency) outside the university. These major awards honor exceptional students across the nation. Students who are interested in these opportunities are encouraged to begin work with the office's director, Pat Whitlow, well in advance of the scholarship deadline.