6 K-State students awarded with scholarships to study internationally

MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - Six students from Kansas State University will be given up to $5,000 to study abroad over the school year.

Kansas State University says that six of its students have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad.

K-State noted that recipients include:

Cassandra Rodriguez, junior in communication sciences and disorders, Garden City;
Ainsle Markle, senior in mechanical engineering and French, Manhattan;
Caitlin Snyder, senior in animal sciences and industry-pre-veterinary option, Manhattan;
Shelby Thornton, senior in architecture, Sublette;
Amanda Smith, senior in human development and family science, Wichita.
A sixth recipient declined to be identified.

The University indicated that the scholarship provides up to $5,000 to help U.S. undergraduate students at 2- or 4-year colleges or universities participate in study abroad programs across the world. It said the scholarships are congressionally funded and were established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000.

K-State said Rodriguez was awarded the scholarship for service abroad experience over the summer in the Dominican Republic through its International Service Team program. A first-generation student, it said she is a member of Halo, Latinas Unidas Poderosas Educadoras, or LUPE, and Called to Greatness. She also received the Carliss Lamont Humanist Community Service Scholarship.

The University noted that Markle was honored with the scholarship to study at the University of Hertfordshire in England over the fall. She is a senior member of Powercat Motorsports and International buddies.

K-State indicated that Snyder will use the scholarship to study the care of rescued exotic animals in South Africa. She is a member of the Honors Program and Phi Eta Sigma. She has also been awarded the Vanier Family Scholarship, A.W. Michael and William Michael Scholarship, Elmer and Margaret A. Gardner Memorial Scholarship, Foundation Plus Scholarship and the Richard and Joyce Brown International Travel Award.

The University said Thornton will use the scholarship in the spring of 2023 in Orvieto, Italy, with the College of Architecture, Planning & Design’s Italian studies program. It said she is active at the university and participates in APDPro - the Dean’s Student Advisory Council for APDesign and the Wefald Hall Council. She also was a residential learning assistant for the APDesign CAT Community. Her honors include the Bowman Award for Excellence in Architectural Design, the Diamond Powercat Award from the Little Apple chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary and learning assistant of the month.

Lastly, K-State said Smith was given the scholarship to perform service abroad in Gambia, Africa, over the summer through its International Service Team program. She is a member of Audacity and serves as vice president of the K-State chapter of the International Justice Mission. As an undergraduate researcher, she worked with the Healthy Adolescent and Adult Relationships Research Team lab.

For more information about the scholarship, click HERE.