Vassar Named a Top Producer of Gilman Scholars, Reflecting a Push for Global Access

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarships to talented American undergraduate students with high financial need to study or intern abroad for academic credit. Kerry Zuccaro, Vassar’s Assistant Dean for Global Partnerships and International Programs, said the recognition reflects Vassar’s long-standing commitment to expanding access to international experiences that foster students’ academic, personal, and professional growth.

“We are honored to be named a Gilman Top Producer,” Zuccaro said. “This recognizes our students’ commitment to global learning and also affirms the efforts of our campus community to make education abroad more inclusive.”

In the past two years, 16 Vassar students have earned Gilman Scholarships. Kenzy Aldaher ’27 participated in the SIT Study Abroad Tunisia and Italy program as a Gilman Scholar last academic year. The academic research she conducted on the health hazards posed to workers in phosphate mines in Tunisia inspired her to slightly shift plans for her future career. Aldaher, a biochemistry major from Amman, Jordan, said she has aspired to be a dentist for years, but her experience in Tunisia prompted her to pursue a master’s degree in public health before she goes to dental school.

Four other Gilman recipients—Veronica Schnee ’27, Jannessa Ya ’26, Gabriel Tapia-Cuenca ’27, and Andrea Laguna Omelas ’27—all say these scholarships enhanced their Vassar academic experience.

Schnee, a biochemistry and religion double major from Cortland Manor, NY, is at DIS Copenhagen. She is taking courses primarily in neuroscience in addition to a class on the gut microbiome, Gut Reaction: How Human Microbes Shape Our Lives, and a course in Danish language and culture.

Like Aldaher, Schnee said her experience as a Gilman Scholar prompted her to alter her career plans. Before studying psychology in Denmark, she had planned to pursue a career in neuroscience research. “Now I have chosen to move more toward clinical psychology,” she said. “I love learning about the patient-therapist relationship and ways of incorporating meaning-making when seeking to improve patients’ lives. I hope to pursue my master’s in psychology in Denmark.”

Schnee said she would recommend applying for a Gilman Scholarship to any student who otherwise could not afford to study in another country. “The financial security this opportunity has given me is unparalleled and has granted me so much freedom in my time studying abroad. I can be here securely knowing I can afford my tuition at Vassar next year.”

Ya, a biochemistry major from Cranston, RI, also studied at DIS Copenhagen. “As a biochemistry major, I chose to study abroad with DIS Copenhagen because of its academic offerings,” she said. “I was able to take two science courses…. I also took advantage of classes that are not offered at Vassar, such as Anthropology of Food and European Storytelling.”

Ya said her time at DIS Copenhagen enabled her to gain exposure to careers in science outside of academia. “As a class, we visited universities, research centers, and start-ups, and witnessed how science is practiced in other countries,” she said. “The class on gut microbes let me pursue my interest in bacteria and the human gut microbiome. I learned something valuable in all the classes I took, but my class on the anthropology of food may be the most impactful. I gained a new perspective on how food shapes culture and identity, and extends beyond nutrition and taste to intersect with public health, community building, and climate change, among other things.”

Ya added that studying abroad had helped her become more independent and self-sufficient, preparing her for her life after Vassar. “Living in Copenhagen meant learning how to navigate public transportation, grocery shopping and meal prepping with different ingredients, and budgeting my finances,” she said. “As an introverted person, I pushed myself to go outside of my comfort zone, meet new people, and try things I would never do. In addition, studying abroad in Copenhagen was my first time outside of the US, and my first time traveling alone. I was eager to take advantage of being in Europe, so I embarked on solo trips despite the fears that can accompany traveling alone. Through these experiences, I became more confident in my abilities.”

Tapia-Cuenca, an urban studies major from Chicago, is also studying at DIS Copenhagen. He is currently taking courses in architecture, Danish language and culture, and sustainability. “I was gobsmacked the first week I got here, because I quickly found that Sølvgade Kolegium, my living quarters, are located near the SMK [National Gallery of Denmark] and the Rosenborg Castle; both are very beautiful,” Tapia-Cuenca said. He added that there is a strong emphasis on field studies in his courses, “which I love. Every week, I’ve been taken to museums, cafés, workshops, parks, and castles, which is genuinely something that I absolutely love about this program. I learned so much about Danish culture. I’ve had great experiences.”

Laguna Omelas, a psychological science major from Oakland, CA, is studying abroad through CIEE in Seoul, Korea. In addition to her studies, she is teaching English to elementary school students and providing English voice recordings for children’s books for visually impaired children.

“CIEE aims to expose its students to Korean culture by immersing them in Korean history through visits to temples and historic sites, the demilitarized zone, and [experiencing] the natural beauty,” she said. “CIEE will also connect its students with other local Korean students through its Seoul Mates program, providing guidance on the language, city, culture, and customs while [students are] also participating in fun events.”

Laguna Omelas added, “The shift from Vassar to a new university abroad was very surprising,” noting the program provides students with various resources to reference, even when away from campus. She said that one valuable aspect to the experience was connecting with other Gilman Scholars, “further expanding my networks and opportunities open to me now and in the future.”