Elyse Shirley, an undergraduate student majoring in English, journalism, and Spanish, has been awarded an international Benjamin A. Gilman study abroad scholarship.
The scholarship allows Shirley to study in Chile for the 2012–13 academic year.
“Going to Chile feels like a dream to me,” Shirley said. “I can't wait to step off the plane and immerse myself in another culture. My goal is to develop my knowledge and fluency of the language while getting to know the country and its people.”
Shirley is a provost scholar and dean's list student. She has won the Most Valuable Person award from the IUP Center for Civic Engagement, the Carol Mills Young Study Abroad Scholarship from the College Language Association, and the Virginia A. Deem journalism scholarship. She is a member of Delta Epsilon Iota academic honor society.
Among her many activities, Shirley is the lead editor of Twenty-Sixth, a student political science journal, and editor of the Endnote, a student history journal. She participated in the Alternative Spring Break service learning program in both 2010 and 2011 and served as a site leader in 2011.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants to students throughout the United States.
Shirley is the eighth IUP student since 2006 to be chosen for a Gilman scholarship through the competitive selection process.