Followup projects

As a recipient of multiple awards it is required for me to do follow up projects. At first I thought this was going to be a headache but by the time I got home it seemed so logical to share my experiences.

Here I am with the other Global Travel Club leaders at a tabling event at University of Washington Tacoma

 This is my final report to the Gilman expressing how becoming a Gilman scholar has helped me and how I feel I have helped others through the experiences I have had.

While reviewing my original follow-up project essay I was excited to see my enthusiasm for spreading information to such a broad array of people about my overseas experience, I am happy to report that even know…nearly six months after my return that enthusiasm hasn’t waned.  I wrote of being involved in many different school activities and wanting to participate in as many school engagement opportunities as possible and even about a long term goal for when I graduated and became a teacher (which went beyond a possible 6 month deadline set by the Gilman program) of teaching youth about the excitement of traveling outside of the US and the amazing opportunities studying abroad can offer as a means of teaching diversity tolerance, language and maturity.

I am happy to report that I feel I have successfully accomplished all of these goals with the exception of having my own teaching classroom (like I stated in the original proposal and in the above paragraph) this is long term goal that I will try to accomplish once I have graduated, but currently I am still pursuing my BA and won’t be graduating until June 2016. But, even with this I have done my best to keep the “spirit” of the original “long term” goals in my mind and my actions even as a normal volunteer for my children’s elementary school.

What I have done since I completed my study abroad in China summer 2015 is participated in numerous events at my university to not only promote study abroad, but the amazing opportunities receiving such a prestigious award as the Gilman has benefited me. I became a transfer student peer advisor for my school and at every event we held I would get on a stage and talk to students about study abroad (always saying I was a Gilman Scholar and that I only was able to study abroad because of the scholarship). I am even working on a Buzzfeed for my university to help promote the significance of traveling, scholarships and study abroad and how it can impact an individual’s university and professional careers (this has not been formally release by my university but if the Gilman is interested I would be more than happy to forward a link when it is completed). I have participated in tabling events with one of my school clubs called Global Travel Club, where I pass out pamphlets and brochures about the Gilman Scholarship and discuss with students the importance of traveling and experiencing different cultures. I have been involved in multiple discussionary panels hosted by my universities Fellowship Advisor  including a “Build Your Own Potential” and “Meet a Gilman Scholar.” I became a Global Leader through the (Former Senator) Slade Gorton Mentorship program where I have used my first-hand knowledge of being in China to talk about the important environmental and trade issues the US and China struggle with. As a mother of two elementary aged children I am able to even get involved in my long term goals even though I am not a teacher yet. I have been able to talk to multiple classrooms of children about my trip to China, I frequently mention that I received the Gilman scholarship (of course to first graders that doesn’t really mean much) and that because of it I was able to go to China and study for school. I have found with the really young children I mostly emphasize getting to travel and that if you are afraid a lack of money could keep you from traveling to look into different organizations because a lot of time there are people willing to help you travel for school to help make you a better person.

I also have a blog that I completed of my study abroad experience highlighting different places and events I really enjoyed, it also includes my thoughts about studying abroad, how my trip has affected my life since my return and a post about a second China trip I took in December 2015 with the remaining money I didn’t spend from the China 2015 summer study abroad!

I would like to say that even though my study abroad is over, and I have completed my original follow on project requirements I have no intention of stopping my promotion of studying abroad or of the Gilman Scholarship and what it did for me. Whether I become a teacher or not I will always advocate for others to have amazing opportunities like what I had. Studying abroad in China was life altering, it helped me gain a deeper appreciation for Asian Culture, experiencing things outside of my “comfort zone”, international friendships, different job possibilities and helping me breaking the personal stigma I had about other cultures specifically in Asia. Being a Gilman scholar has given me a voice that I didn’t know I had. I am so thankful for all the opportunities I have been able to benefit from by being a Gilman Scholar, thank you thank you so much. I will continue for as long as I have a voice to promote study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship opportunities.