Abby Cawley says her classes on war and peace and foreign policy helped her think about the possibilities beyond her classroom walls.
This summer, the junior, political science major, will travel to the Southern Caucasus to study peace, security and the political climate in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The experience will be made possible through the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, a nationally competitive program that assists students with study abroad expenses. The program aims to diversify the students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go.
While in the Southern Caucasus, Cawley will participate in courses on identity, democratization and gender issues. She’ll study Russian and explore the region’s culture and history.
“Studying abroad will help me narrow down what within international politics that I want to do as well as provide a taste to see if I want to work abroad,” said the Lincoln Southeast High school graduate. “It’s an amazing opportunity to learn another language and gain a greater understanding of politics outside our domestic bubble.”
The Gilman Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Fifty-seven NWU students have received the Gilman Scholarship since the program began in 2001.