Stephanie Sanchez, a Linfield College junior from Salem, will study abroad in Quito, Ecuador, this spring after receiving a $4,500 scholarship from the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.
At Linfield, Sanchez is majoring in health education and minoring in Spanish. She is also active on campus as a colloquium peer advisor, Linfield College Latinos Adelante mentor, Wildcat Intercultural Network mentor, Latinos Organizando Comunidades con Obras y Servicios member and more.
While in Ecuador, Sanchez hopes to learn about the culture and how health care is different in South America compared to the U.S.
“I am thrilled about the idea of living with a host family and learning their beliefs and living as part of their family,” said Sanchez. “It will empower me to step out of my shell and prepare me for life after graduation. I want to learn from my experiences in Ecuador and embrace new cultures, concepts and beliefs.
“I hope to come back a better person with real-world knowledge from the experiences of living in a country completely different than my own,” she added.
Sanchez plans to join the Peace Corps in a South American country following her graduation. She also hopes to earn a master’s in public health.
Sanchez is one of more than 800 American undergraduate students from 356 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to study or intern abroad during the spring 2015 academic term. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program funds approximately 125 study programs around the world for undergraduate students of limited financial means. Recipients of the award are chosen on a competitive basis.
