Trio of students earn Gilman Scholarships for spring study abroad

Three Centre College students have secured the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship through the U.S. Department of State.

Jonael Lantigua, Ehthemoo Po and Shu Ping Nichols will lead enriching experiences abroad — one of the hallmarks of a Centre education — thanks to the scholarship, which helps lower barriers for students who might not participate in study abroad experiences due to financial limitations.

“Centre’s impressive track record of Gilman Scholars showcases the strength of collaboration on campus,” said Adam Chen-Dedman, Executive Director of Centre Global. “Students work with Dr. Robert Schalkoff from the Office of Fellowships and the Centre Global team to put their best application forward. Helping students refine their writing skills in Gilman-specific workshops we organize each semester is an essential part of the successful applications Centre experiences each cycle. As one of the leading institutions for undergraduate participation in study abroad, our goal is to provide all Centre College students with opportunities for high-impact off-campus study experiences."

The Gilman Scholarship has a service component, in which students who receive the award are required to give back in some way and describe that in their application.

Jonael Lantigua

Bronx, New York

International Studies major

Class of 2027

For the past 18 months, Jonael Lantigua has researched government corruption in Mexico.

This spring, he’ll conduct research on-site through the Centre-in-Merida program in Mexico, while participating in an internship with the Mexican government.

“I plan to work with a non-profit organization, along with my internship, to try to teach younger individuals in Mexico proper ways to find a job,” he said.

Along with learning about the education system in Mexico, Lantigua said he wants to promote improved pay and benefits for government employees. His passion for the project stems from growing up near Mexico in El Paso, Texas.

“What I saw was that the Mexican people did not have much hope in the government and there was a lack of transparency,” he said.

The Gilman Scholarship will help Lantigua offset the cost of an international study and travel experience.

“I’ve always been interested in studying abroad,” he said. “I was concerned with how I might pay for travel. I went to the Centre Global office, and they recommended that I apply for the Gilman Scholarship. They helped me workshop my essays and with the application process in general.”

Shu Ping Nichols 

Nicholasville, Kentucky

Business major, Health and Medical Studies minor

Class of 2026

Bonner Scholars Leader Shu Ping Nichols has always been about community. From her time as a cheerleader at Centre to her volunteer work through the Bonner Program, Nichols enjoys service as a way to clear her mind after schoolwork. 

She’ll travel to London, England, for the spring semester thanks to the Gilman Scholarship and hopes to pair that passion for service with a local organization.

“I was thinking about a way to connect with the community and really get to know the surroundings and the community of London,” Nichols said. “Whether it's humane societies, food pantries or homeless shelters, I would like to see if I could potentially volunteer there once or so a week, just to have a better-rooted experience while I'm there.”

In her application, Nichols noted the challenges of growing up as a person of color in a predominantly white community and the importance of inclusivity. Now, she’ll get to take that outlook to a historic international city.

“I come from a very big mixed family — I’m one of three adopted children — so having funding through the Gilman Scholarship is definitely a weight lifted,” Nichols said. “The workshops we had for the application really helped me articulate my experiences — study abroad is one of the main reasons I came to Centre. I love culture, my family has always embraced different cultures, so I’m excited to experience that myself.”

Ehthemoo Po

Louisville, Kentucky

Anthropology/Sociology major

Class of 2026

A trip to Taiwan wasn’t initially on the cards for Grissom Scholar Ethemoo Po in her study abroad list.

But after having a friend travel there in the fall, Po said she was eager to have the experience herself — and she’ll get that opportunity through the Gilman Scholarship.

“I originally wanted to go to Scotland, but I got accepted to the Taiwan program and thought it was a great opportunity,” Po said. “I really want to go to an Asian country — food is important to me, and the scenery is beautiful.”

Po will travel to Taiwan and learn at National Taiwan University through the Visiting Student Exchange Program, thanks in part to a relationship Chen-Dedman has with a professor in the sociology department at NTU.

“They saw my background, being born in a refugee camp in Thailand, and it was something that (the professor) is researching,” Po said. “I just think it’s so cool. I’m a sociology major and I’m eager to compare and contrast and see how the professors over there teach.”