On September 18, the University of Oregon will host a daylong virtual workshop for approximately 60 study abroad advisors on best practices in supporting candidates for two prestigious U.S. Department of State programs, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program and the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. This workshop is part of the State Department’s continuing efforts to increase and diversify the institutions and students participating in both the Gilman and CLS programs.
“We are continuing to support our U.S. colleges and universities in building their study abroad capacity as they look to the future,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce.
Workshop attendees will share best practices for promoting the Gilman and CLS Programs, supporting applicants, and leveraging alumni for recruitment. The workshop will also provide advisors with in-depth resources for the Gilman and CLS Programs and give advisors the opportunity to brainstorm and share strategies for supporting students virtually.
“International education should be part of every student’s academic career,” said Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. “Educational exchanges, whether it’s Americans going overseas or foreigners coming to the U.S., are among the most important tools in our diplomatic arsenal.”
The Gilman and CLS Programs are programs of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. The Gilman Program awards over 3,000 scholarships annually to outstanding American undergraduate students who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise study abroad. The CLS Program provides fully funded overseas opportunities for 550 exceptional American undergraduate and graduate students to study one of 15 languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. The Gilman and CLS Programs are supported in their implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and American Councils for International Education, respectively. Both programs are currently accepting applications for 2021 activities.
For further information about the Gilman Program, CLS Program, and other exchange programs of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov and visit our website at https://studyabroad.state.gov/.
For further information on study abroad programs and opportunities at the University of Oregon, please contact intl@uoregon.edu.
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