By Mike Greife,
August 10, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – Four new scholarships will offer students at the University of Central
Missouri the opportunity to study abroad during 2017, enriching their college experience
and adding value to the degrees they will receive.
The UCM Study Abroad program in the UCM International Center recently announced the
availability of four French Embassy-Benjamin Franklin Generation Study Abroad scholarships.
The scholarships will provide $2,500 to each of four UCM students for study in France
during the spring or summer semesters in 2017.
The new scholarships are in addition to six Generation Study Abroad Scholarships,
also valued at $2,500 per student, that were awarded to UCM students for study abroad
during the summer or fall semesters in 2016. Funding for the scholarships is provided
by Institute for International Education and matched by UCM.
The Generation Study Abroad scholarships were first awarded in fall semester of 2015
and provided opportunities for a total of 12 students who met one of the qualifications
of being first generation college students, members of underrepresented racial or
ethnic groups, or Pell Grant recipients.
Students who will receive the four new French Embassy-Benjamin Franklin scholarships
must meet one of the qualifications of being a member of the male gender, which is
underrepresented in study abroad; being disabled; or qualifying as a Pell Grant funding
recipient.
The recipients will be one selected from the UCM Department of Government, International
Studies, and Languages for the study of the French language or International Studies;
one each selected from the UCM Harmon College School of Business Administration and
the Student Disability Association for the study of business or French language; and
the UCM Better Man Society as a male representative in response to the fact that the
majority of study abroad students worldwide have been female.
The scholarships will assist in covering the anticipated costs related to tuition,
books, travel, room and board and insurance, and will allow UCM students to study
at one of three French UCM exchange partners—the University of Angers, INSEEC Business
School, and the ESDES School of Management.
“At UCM, we strive to make these opportunities available to every student,” said
Sarah Pattison, UCM study abroad coordinator. “With this scholarship, our students
who typically face barriers to studying abroad will have the support they need to
truly experience the culture of France while gaining an intercultural academic perspective.
It also allows the university to strengthen the existing relationships with its three
partner academic institutions located in France.”
“This is the second round of highly competitive matching scholarship funding awarded
to UCM by the Institute for International Education,” noted Joseph Lewandowski, dean
of The Honors College and International Affairs. “Taking learning to a greater degree
means pursuing a global perspective, and with this new scholarship, UCM continues
to advance on its goal of sending 500 UCM students abroad each year. I am indeed proud
of what our Study Abroad team has accomplished in such a short time under the outstanding
leadership of Ms. Pattison.”
Nominations for recipients for the French Embassy-Benjamin Franklin Generation Study
Abroad scholarships will be accepted between Aug. 15 and Oct. 15. Recipients will
be notified on Oct. 24.
