Scholarship recipients along with Dean Robert Floden (center), from L to R: Madison McLean, Jessica Gonzáles, N’Kia Edwards and Anna Esenther.
Four College of Education students participating in study abroad programs this summer will have a portion of their costs covered thanks to scholarships.
Dean Robert Floden recently presented the awards to the students, all of whom are traveling abroad for education and kinesiology-related studies. The college is working to increase the rate of study abroad participation for its students, many of whom are deterred by the high costs of tuition and travel to other countries.
“I am glad that we are able to offer these scholarships, which make it possible for these students to gain understanding they will carry with them in their future studies and later careers,” Floden said.
Three of the awardees received the Dean’s Scholarship for Undergraduate Study Abroad, instituted in 2015.
- Anna Esenther is an Elementary Education freshman who is in the Global Educators Cohort Program. Esenther is participating in the Arts Education Across Cultures trip in Ghana.
- N’Kia Edwards, an Elementary Education junior, has hopes of teaching fourth grade after graduation. She joins Esenther on the Arts Education Across Cultures trip in Ghana.
- Madison McLean is a junior Kinesiology student with a focus in pre-occupational therapy. McClean is participating in the Summer Sports Program Down Under in Australia.
Each recipient of the dean’s scholarship received $3,000 for their travel and studies.
This year was the inaugural year of another scholarship award, the Ian J. Render Memorial Expendable Scholarship. Render studied abroad in South Africa after he graduated from Michigan State University in 2012. He passed away in 2014. The scholarship was created in his honor, and the first recipient of the award is Jessica González.
González is a sophomore in the Urban Educators Cohort Program, and is studying Elementary Education. She is participating in a study abroad program at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
All of the scholarships are coordinated by the Office of International Studies in Education, with leadership from Lynn Paine, assistant dean for international studies, and Elizabeth Gil, research graduate assistant for the office.
Learn more about study abroad opportunities for undergraduate students in the College of Education.