UTC junior Jayda Fowler is spending the spring 2024 semester in Belgium thanks to the Gilman Scholarship. Photo courtesy of Jayda Fowler.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad.
The Gilman Scholarship, which is highly competitive, awards students up to $5,000.
This semester, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior Jayda Fowler—a double major in international studies and French—is studying in Brussels, Belgium, thanks to the Gilman Scholarship. Fowler has spent five months exploring the city and fine-tuning skills that will help with their future career.
A native of Samburg, Tennessee, Fowler said they are passionate about seeing the world beyond with a special interest in Belgium.
“I was surprised when I got the scholarship and genuinely thrilled,” Fowler said. “I knew I was going to be able to do my study abroad because of it, so I was very happy and grateful.”
Having the means to travel is only feasible for some students, said Fowler—who is involved in Student Support Services, the Financial Wellness Center and to Go Global Living Learning Community at UTC. The Gilman Scholarship gives students who would not otherwise be able to see the world the opportunity to do so.
Fowler emphasized their passion for human connection and networking, saying some of the most memorable moments in Belgium were simply ones shared with others.
“In this generation, with social media constantly available, we lose that human connection,” Fowler said. “If you put yourself out there, no matter what language you speak, people are willing to help. There is a lot of kindness left in the world.”
Fowler aspires to dedicate their future endeavors to empowering rural youth, facilitating their opportunities to explore the world beyond their communities through international experiences. Noticing the unequal opportunities for those in smaller cities, they have decided to be a part of the change.
“People that I’ve met while traveling are normally from larger cities and have better economic backgrounds. I would like to give kids like me who grew up rural or on the poverty line the same kind of chances to see the world and what they could become.”
Fowler enthusiastically recommended that everyone study abroad.
“My motto in life is I don’t wade into the pool; I jump off the deep end. It is sink or swim,” Fowler said. “Sometimes, you have to take that leap, take that risk, book that plane ticket, and go abroad and try it.”
Learn More
The Office of National Scholarships
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Jayda Fowler
