MODG Grad, Morgan Dye, shared with us the amazing opportunity she had to travel and study abroad with the University of Dallas.

From the monumental Roman Forum, the amazing acoustics of the Tholos Tombs in Greece, and the expansive cliffs of Malta; my semester abroad was a far reaching adventure. There were so many amazing places I got to experience and grow from. It was all thanks to the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship that I was able to embark on these awesome explorations. This scholarship is an opportunity for undergraduate college students to study or intern abroad. It is congressionally funded and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Over 38,000 American undergraduate students have received the scholarship since the program’s creation in 2001. Those students have represented more than 1,350 institutions and visited over 155 host countries.

This scholarship traditionally represents and encourages students from all backgrounds, especially those who are or were veterans, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, ethnic minority students, and students attending community colleges. However, it is also available for the children of military members. The Gilman scholarship has a mission of encouraging and strengthening the relationships between the people of the world through their students’ example. They want to expand the understanding of their scholars by immersing them in the beautiful diversity of their host country.

Through my scholarship, I was able to attend the University of Dallas’ Rome Program. The program is an awesome experience in which students study at the university’s campus in the city of Marino, about 13.5 miles southeast of the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome. The courses the program offers build into the many thrilling trips that are taken. For example, the Art and Architecture class bleeds into many field trips throughout the city and all over Italy. Some of my favorite places to see were the Vatican, the Borghese gallery, and Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Not only did we learn in the classroom about the marvelous masterpieces of in-arguably some of the world’s most influential artists, we immersed ourselves in that art when we stood in front of it. My personal favorite work was the ‘Primavera’ by Botticelli.

The Rome Program also allowed for travel opportunities outside of the country of Italy. In my own travels I explored Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Austria, France, Germany, Brussels, the Netherlands, and a few other countries. It was an amazing experience to say the least. I learned invaluable lessons from each city I visited and gained little nuggets of knowledge with every step I took. I cannot recommend enough for all students to apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, especially Mother of Divine Grace students.

Mother of Divine Grace students are prepared to face the world from a beautifully Catholic perspective and from that perspective it is easy to see such beauty in the world and the diverse peoples God has created. If you ever feel God calling you to see a different part of the world, this scholarship is an amazing opportunity to start that adventure. I will forever be grateful for the Gilman scholarship and the amazing opportunity it gave me. Hopefully it will continue to bless many students for years to come.

You can learn more about how to apply for this scholarship here.