Sarah Egge teaches students surrounding her under branching tree foliage in Puerto Rico.
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Four Centre students awarded Gilman Scholarships to fund study abroad experiences

by Kylie Wulf

Centre College News

The opportunity to study internationally has long been a key component of the Centre College experience, with nearly 80 percent of students studying abroad at least once during their time on campus. 

Supporting students in applying for the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is one way the College helps ensure those opportunities are within reach. 

This semester, four students have won the prestigious scholarship, awarded by the U.S. Department of State, to support their international academic experiences. The newest Gilman scholars at Centre include:

  • Leah Hatfield, class of 2028, who will be participating in the Centre-in-London program
  • Madison Harvey, class of 2028, who will be participating in the Centre-in-Strasbourg program
  • Sheridan Oller, class of 2027, who will be participating in the Centre-in-Strasbourg program
  • Kaleb Sherrer, class of 2027, who will study at National Taiwan University
A collage of headshots from the Gilman scholars. A young woman with red hair wearing a black drape. A young woman with brunnette hair and blonde highlights wearing a black drape. A young woman smiling with her head tilted wearing a pink blouse. A young man with his hair pulled back wearing a white shirt..
Leah Hatfield, Madison Harvey, Sheridan Oller, Kaleb Sherrer

They join 19 Centre students who have become Gilman scholars in the past five years. With two rounds of Gilman scholars announced each year, in the fall and spring, a total of seven Centre students were selected for the 2024-2025 academic year.

“Gilman strongly supports students who have never been abroad before,” said Vivenne Main, Assistant Director of Centre Global. “They're very prominent in supporting first-gen students and students from rural areas.”

Main and Centre Global Business Manager Margaret Meadows partnered with Centre’s Office of Fellowships to help students learn about the application process through information sessions and application writing workshops where students received feedback and were able to ask questions. 

The result — more awareness about the Gilman Scholarship across campus along with an increase in both the number of applicants and scholarship recipients. This cycle saw the most-ever applications from Centre. 

“The info sessions have helped give students a sense of what to expect beforehand,” Meadows said. “That way, they really consider the scholarship before they get started.”

Once scholars return to the U.S., they’re required to present on their experience, which prompts them to reflect on their time and opportunities abroad. 

“This feedback loop is inherently built into the scholarship,” Main said. “You’re going to come back on campus, and you'll talk to your peers. I think it really helps students become an advocate for study abroad and for this scholarship.” 

These experiences cement the transformational role studying abroad plays in the journey of Centre students. 

“Study abroad opens the door to cross-cultural communication when students are put into an environment that they're not familiar with,” said Meadows. “They have to learn how to navigate that and learn how to interact with people who are different from them. It opens a world of possibilities.”

Students interested in exploring the world of fellowships are encouraged to contact Robert Schalkoff at fellowships@centre.edu.

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