Camden Ferguson will use the prestigious scholarship to study in the United Kingdom during January Term while pursuing research, campus leadership and Division III football
For Camden Ferguson ’27, studying abroad wasn’t just about where he would go. It was about finding a way to make the experience fit alongside everything else that defines his Linfield education.
As a psychology and anthropology major, Ferguson has embraced nearly every opportunity Linfield has to offer: student researcher, campus leader and member of the Linfield football team. Yet, one experience always seemed difficult to fit into his busy schedule — studying abroad.
“What has been unique about Linfield is January Term,” the Lake Oswego native said. “It ultimately is the reason I’m able to study abroad in the first place. It gives me the opportunity to have the study abroad experience without sacrificing my other obligations over the course of a full semester.”
That opportunity became even more attainable this spring when Ferguson was awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which supports undergraduate students studying or interning abroad. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the scholarship has helped students from more than 1,300 U.S. institutions study or intern in more than 170 countries since 2001.
Ferguson will use the scholarship to travel to the United Kingdom during January Term 2027, participating in the faculty-led course Reimagining Museums as Sites of Cultural Intervention and Decolonization in the United Kingdom. The course takes students to multiple cities across England and Scotland.
Linfield’s January Term is a four-week academic session that allows students to immerse themselves in a special-topic course, complete degree requirements or participate in off-campus learning experiences in one-third of a semester.
A campus full of opportunities
For Ferguson, studying abroad is one part of a college experience built around saying yes to new opportunities.
He is completing a senior dual-honors thesis examining how traditional grading systems and achievement-focused academic culture contribute to AI-assisted academic dishonesty, and whether alternative grading models can promote more authentic learning.
He is also working alongside faculty mentors on several research projects. With Assistant Professor Cara Ray, Ferguson is studying how young adults define and experience the transition to adulthood. Their work includes a forthcoming manuscript under review for the journal Emerging Adulthood. With Professor Yanna Weisberg, he is researching flirting behaviors and their potential genetic and behavioral influences.
“Linfield’s small but tight-knit culture makes these experiences more accessible.”
Camden Ferguson ’27
Outside the classroom, Ferguson serves as president of the Psychology Club, vice president of Psi Chi and co-president of Lambda Alpha, the national honor societies for psychology and anthropology. He also competes on the Linfield football team.
He said the ability to pursue those opportunities stems from the relationships he has built with faculty.
“Much of this is only possible due to the close connections I’ve been able to build with my professors,” Ferguson said. “Linfield’s small but tight-knit culture makes these experiences more accessible.”
Expanding opportunities through January Term
For Ferguson, January Term provided the flexibility to study abroad while continuing to pursue research, leadership and athletics. Receiving the Gilman Scholarship helped make that opportunity more financially attainable.
“It alleviates a massive portion of the cost, which allows me to have an experience I otherwise may not have been able to afford,” Ferguson said. “It’s also a prestigious and competitive scholarship that strengthens my resume for graduate school and connects me with a network of Gilman alumni.”
As he looks ahead to January, Ferguson is excited to explore historic sites including the Tower of London, Stonehenge and Edinburgh Castle.
More than anything, he’s looking forward to the experience itself.
“I’m most excited to step outside my comfort zone and experience something completely new,” he said.
Worldwide learning
Students can participate in international education opportunities in many ways. Explore the many options from Linfield’s International Programs Office.
