UNH Today

Nine UNH students earned the chance to see and study in different parts of the world as recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship during the recent fall cycle. The students will be making the trek to landing spots that include France, Italy, New Zealand and Japan.

The Gilman scholarship provides awards to Pell grant-eligible students who are studying or interning abroad for credit. Including nine students who accepted Gilman scholarships during last spring’s cycle, UNH had 18 recipients during the last academic year (In 2021, the U.S. State Department recognized UNH as a top producer of Gilman Scholars in the country as part of the 20th anniversary of the program).

This year’s recipients are Jacob Parrino-Teixeira ’25, Savannah Couture ’26, Madeleine Diaz ’26, Drew Dickson ’26, Bailey Fraser ’26, Madeline Randall ’26, Bee Towle ’26, Michael Barnes ’27 and Katja Schrottner ’27.

Parrino-Teixeira, from Derry, New Hampshire, is studying to receive three bachelor’s degrees: in ASL/English interpreting, French and linguistics. The Gilman scholarship will allow him to study at the Université Côte d’Azur in France in spring 2025 as part of their CUEFLE (Centre Universitaire d'Etudes en Français Langue Etrangère) program.

Parrino-Teixeira classifies his French as currently at the B2 level, so he will be taking courses surrounding the French language, French affairs, the history of the 3rd-5th French Republic and French UNESCO monuments to help level up. He will also be enrolled in a French special topics course with the University of Maryland that focuses on French art, culture and politics.

“The two main things I look forward to most are expanding my network, both domestic and internationally, as well as gaining insights into the economic and professional world of France,” Parrino-Teixeira says. “In doing so I am widening my opportunities for international job growth in the future, alongside the inherent amelioration of my French skills in complete immersion.”

Couture, a studio art major from Dover, New Hampshire, will be studying at the Florence University of the Arts in Italy during spring of 2025, where she will be learning about art history and painting and also working with a private vocal coach, something she called “an amazing opportunity.”

“I am beyond excited to immerse myself into a new culture and be surrounded by inspiring and masterful artwork. Since freshman year of college, I have dreamed of studying abroad in Italy; the Gilman scholarship has helped me make this dream come true,” Couture says.

Couture says the financial support of the scholarship is what made it possible for her to study at a school specifically for the arts, which is “any artists dream.” She also says she is looking forward to sharing her experience with other aspiring artists when she returns as part of a follow-on service project.

Diaz, a wildlife and conservation biology major from Emerson, New Jersey, will be participating in EcoQuest: Ecology in Action in New Zealand for Spring 2025. She will be based in Whakatīwai to take part in the interactive field-based program that introduces students to various ecology, influencers and cultures that have shaped New Zealand through place-based learning, field trips and a directed research project at the end of the semester.

“The program highlights the importance of forming an intimate connection to the country, its environment and its people,” Diaz says. “I am most looking forward to learning from the indigenous Māori people and understanding how their cultural knowledge is intertwined with the environmental conservation work taking place.”

Participants in the program will be learning, meeting people and working throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Diaz says the scholarship funding will allow her to “not only excel as a student but also contribute to a wide network of successful peers.

Dickson, an analytical economics major from Bedford, New Hampshire, will be studying at Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies in Nagasaki, Japan during fall 2025, where he intends to take courses in business and management while also aiming to improve his proficiency with the Japanese language.

Dickson is proud to have received the scholarship and says that securing it despite battling some nerves around the writing component of the application boosted his confidence.

“Japan has always been an intriguing place to me, and I'm really looking forward to finally being able to visit it,” says Dickson. “I want to do a lot of sightseeing while I'm out there – just taking everything in is an experience of its own. Trying new food and engaging in local traditions are also resonating within me. In short, I'm looking forward to everything.”

Fraser, a communication major with a media practices option from Bethel, Maine, will be the first in her family to study abroad when she spends spring 2025 at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the International American University in Aix-en-Provence, France. She will be continuing her education in France by filling her credit requirements to graduate next year.

“Coming from a small community means few opportunities to study abroad, but the Gilman scholarship will afford me the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream of studying and living internationally,” Fraser says.

Fraser grew up in a town of fewer than 3,000 people and was part of a graduating high school class of 37 students. “I am most looking forward to how exponentially my world will grow,” she says of the opportunity. “Living abroad will open my mind and my world to things I can't even imagine right now, but I know it will help me grow as a person.”

Randall, a Hamel Scholar double-majoring in English and French (with a minor in women and gender studies) from Exeter, New Hampshire, will be studying in The School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Institut Americain Universitaire in Aix-en-Provence, France.

She will be taking French literature, French children’s literature, French film, Provence regional history and monuments, as well as a creative writing class in English. Randall, who is Deaf, credits her UNH professors for helping her feel comfortable exploring an international locale.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to study abroad in France, but being Deaf, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to navigate a foreign country that spoke another language. However, I feel UNH’s French department has really prepared me for the experience,” Randall says. “What I'm most excited about are the field studies every class includes in the syllabus that allow us to get out of the classroom often to experience the city and culture. I’m looking forward to learning more about the city I’m in and speaking French at local cafès.”

Barnes, a mechanical engineering major from Enfield, New Hampshire, will be participating in the Tokyo Summer Program at the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) in Japan for Summer 2025, where he intends to study the Japanese language.

Barnes hopes to work as an engineer at a Japanese company after graduating from college, and says being bilingual will give him a competitive advantage in the job market. His plan is to be fluent in Japanese after the Gilman experience, having already set language goals for himself ahead of the journey, including learning 1,000 kanji and watching comprehensive videos in Japanese to improve his listening skills.

“Receiving the Gilman scholarship feels incredible, as my dreams are getting a step closer to becoming a reality,” Barnes says. “What I look forward to most in Japan is making lots of connections. While abroad, I intend to join a robotics/engineering club because I want to learn more about designing, creating and testing robots or other innovative products. By joining a club, the chances of me knowing a person who can help me get a job are much higher.”

Towle, a French and international affairs major from Durham, New Hampshire, will be studying at the University of Pau in France in spring 2025.

Schrottner, a nutrition and EcoGastronomy major from Westwood, New Jersey, will be participating in the UNH-in-Italy program in Spring 2025.

Interested in pursuing a Gilman scholarship? Learn more about this and other opportunities available through the Office of National Fellowships.