Raina Keel, a junior with a double-major in Fisheries and Wildlife and in Spanish, has received the prestigious $5,000 Gilman Scholarship for study abroad. Raina, who is from Lincoln, will enroll in the International Study Abroad Language, Culture and Economics program in Brazil.
She leaves for Florianopolis, Brazil, on Feb. 24 and will return on June 29. "I am extremely excited to learn Portuguese and to live with a local family," Raina said. "I love learning about other cultures and appreciate the differences. A big reason that I chose Brazil is because I am interested in the ways that they are preserving and conserving their extremely unique ecosystem. This study abroad experience will be a great experience and will be helpful towards both of my majors."
The highly competitive Gilman Scholarship Program helps fund students to study abroad. With more than 2,700 applications received, just under 900 were awarded to students this year, four of which were to UNL students. A total of 18 UNL students applied for the Gilman Scholarship.
The Gilman Scholarship Program was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. Students are eligible if they are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two- or four-year college or university. This congressionally funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas.