WKU student Dominique Wood of Nashville, Tennessee, will study abroad next spring through support from the Freeman Awards for Study in Asia scholarship program.

Wood, a third-year Chinese major and the daughter of Angela Tomes and Thomas Wood, was awarded a scholarship of up to $3,000 to advance her Chinese language studies abroad. She will be studying at North China Electric Power University in Beijing during the spring semester.

“Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity,” Wood said. “I’m glad that I’ll have this experience. I hope everyone who wants to study abroad also gets the opportunity one day and that they get the support they need.”

Cory Dodds, Coordinator of Nationally Competitive Opportunities for the Office of Scholar Development, said: “Dominique has chosen a study abroad program to further her language study in an intensive environment. Students who study abroad are better prepared for a diverse and globalized workplace.”

Freeman-ASIA is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study overseas in east or southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Award recipients are required to share their experiences with their home campuses or communities to encourage study abroad by others and fulfill the program’s goal of increasing understanding of Asia in the United States. From 2001 through the 2013 academic year, Freeman-ASIA supported 4,500 U.S. undergraduates from more than 600 institutions with their study abroad plans in east and southeast Asia.

Wood worked with the Office of Scholar Development at WKU in preparing her Freeman-ASIA application and with the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning to find the best academic program abroad to fit her goals. (More: Wood also is one of two WKU students awarded Gilman Scholarships for the spring semester.)

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping WKU students in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. OSD welcomes the opportunity to work with students interested in nationally competitive scholarships.

About the Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning (SAGL): SAGL serves the WKU community by engaging students, faculty and staff in diverse, educational, and cultural experiences through faculty-led, exchange, consortia and other study abroad opportunities. For information about the Office of Study Abroad, visit www.wku.edu/studyabroad. The office can be contacted via e-mail at study.abroad@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-5334.

Contact: Office of Scholar Development, (270) 745-5043