English majors were well represented among the 27 WKU students receiving the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for study abroad. Fallon Russell, a senior English major with a professional writing concentration, and Felicia McCroskey, a sophomore English major with a creative writing concentration, were awarded scholarships through this program. Catherine Sheffield, a senior English major with a creative writing concentration, was named an alternate, and is eligible to receive the scholarship if additional funding becomes available.

Fallon Russell, a senior English major with a professional writing concentration, and Felicia McCroskey, a sophomore English major with a creative writing concentration, were awarded scholarships through this program. Catherine Sheffield, a senior English major with a creative writing concentration, was named an alternate, and is eligible to receive the scholarship if additional funding becomes available.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put travel plans on hold, but the recipients will be able to defer the use of the scholarship until 2021. “I wanted to study abroad during my time at WKU so that I could build my understanding of other places and cultures while also using and building my skills that I have learned in my English courses,” says Russell, who plans to pursue a career in teaching English abroad. She hopes to apply her Gilman Scholarship to study in London next summer. Sheffield also sees a direct connection between her desire to study internationally and her English major: “My study abroad opportunity will be studying mythology in Greece and, being a creative writing major, I am eager to study literature at the source of its inspiration.” Sheffield goes on to note that “studying abroad is also very important to me to gain global understanding and direct empathy for people around the world which is something I cannot gain by limiting my studies to my home country.”

WKU English faculty have led several study-abroad programs in recent years, taking students to countries including England, Scotland, France, Greece, Cuba, and Japan. Information on past and upcoming study abroad programs can be found at https://www.wku.edu/english/study-abroad-and-away.php

Information on the Gilman Scholarship can be found at https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=article&articleid=8945