This scholarship helps students study abroad

Brigham Young University (BYU), USA recently created a new scholarship which was funded by donors. This scholarship helped BYU students with financial constraints to study abroad.

In 2014, the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies of BYU founded the Global Opportunity Scholarship. It did so after it noticed many aspiring students gave up their dreams of studying abroad because they were not able to afford it.

Asst. Director of Kennedy Centre, Cory Leonard, said that BYU was ranked in the Top 20 universities in the US. The International Institute for International Education ranked BYU in its 2018 Open Doors report. It received the ranking for the number of study abroad programs that the University offered.

The Kennedy Centre Staff calculated the scholarship amount at $5,000. For the first year, they were able to raise $25,000 which helped 5 students go abroad.

An LDS Philanthropies representative helps collect the scholarship money. The representative does so by connecting alumni wishing to donate to the Kennedy Centre.

The number of students who have benefitted from this scholarship has increased over the years. As per Leonard, 79 students were able to study abroad in 2018.

To avail the scholarship, students need to get nominated by a BYU faculty member. In the next step, students meet with the Kennedy Centre Staff who review the options like student aid and scholarship. Students are also encouraged to seek help from their families wherever possible. Recently, some nominated students failed to get the scholarship because they were unwilling to explore all financial options.

To spread awareness of the scholarship, Leonard and the Kennedy Centre staff created videos. These videos contained interviews of the students who received the scholarship.

Losa Smith was one such student who got the scholarship. She is from Austin, Texas and was studying sociology at the BYU. Losa took part in the 2018 Asia Pacific Business study abroad program. She says that there was no way she could have participated in the program if not for the scholarship.

During the study-abroad program, Losa travelled to Asia. She visited countries like Vietnam, China, and Thailand and was able to explore the different cultures.

Juan Camargo, an economics student, was another one of the many students who availed this scholarship. He travelled to Amsterdam to take part in the Global Finance Internship in Europe. He describes it as an experience of a lifetime, as quoted by The Daily Universe.

The Kennedy Centre is working hard to spread awareness about the Global Opportunity scholarship. You can find a number of posters on the campus advertising the scholarship. The Kennedy Centre’s Study Abroad Fair also features a booth for the scholarship every year.

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