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Afsha Merchant (Skokie, IL), a senior psychology and Spanish double major, received a $1,500 Diversity Scholarship from CEA Global Education for study at the University of Granada.
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Joshua Schoenhardt (Darien, IL), a junior marketing major, was awarded a $1,300 travel grant from AustraLearn sponsored by Qantas. The travel grant will cover the cost of round-trip airfare to Australia, where Schoenhardt will be studying at Griffith University.
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Students Receive Study Abroad Scholarships

January 13, 2012

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MACOMB, IL -- Three Western Illinois University undergraduate students who are, or will be, studying abroad this spring semester are the recipients of scholarships that will help offset the cost of their programs. According to WIU Office of Study Abroad Assistant Director Emily Gorlewski, the study abroad office at Western administers travel grants for faculty-directed programs, as well as the Conger Scholarship, the Bea Wehrly Study Abroad Scholarship and the Caterpillar Foundation Scholarship for study in China. In addition, she noted, study abroad staff often help students apply for one of many nationally competitive scholarships.

Afsha Merchant (Skokie, IL), a senior psychology and Spanish double major, received a $1,500 Diversity Scholarship from CEA Global Education for study at the University of Granada. According to CEA Global Education, "the scholarship is [f]or CEA students from diverse backgrounds and/or for students who have had a personal experience with diversity." Gorlewski said this scholarship has a range based on the affiliate status of the student's home university, and Merchant was awarded the highest amount possible.

Carlie Nelson (Cambridge, IL), a senior elementary education major, was awarded the Drs. James F. and Syndy M. Conger Study Abroad Scholarship in the amount of $500. Nelson will be studying abroad this semester at James Cook University in Australia. Gorlewski noted this award is intended to assist Western students who want to study abroad for a semester and have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

Joshua Schoenhardt (Darien, IL), a junior marketing major, was awarded a $1,300 travel grant from AustraLearn sponsored by Qantas. The travel grant will cover the cost of round-trip airfare to Australia, where Schoenhardt will be studying at Griffith University.

According to Gorlewski, the WIU study abroad staff members help students who are interested in studying abroad learn about scholarships and other monetary awards.

"We can help students apply for one of many scholarships, such as the Gilman Scholarship, Boren Award, Freeman-Asia Award and many others," she said. "When students are thinking about the study abroad programs they are interested in, they should also be applying for scholarships. Scholarships can help make study abroad much more affordable, and Western students can be very good candidates for them."

WIU students interested in scholarships for study abroad can contact the Office of Study Abroad at (309) 298-2504, or come to the "How to Find Money for Study Abroad" workshop at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 in Sallee Hall, room 266 (WIU-QC students can take part in the workshop via videoconference to WIU-QC room 239). Learn more about WIU's study abroad opportunities at www.wiu.edu/studyabroad.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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