As an international relations major, Jonathan Wallace Myers ’26 always looked forward to the opportunity to study abroad. As he began working with the Office of National and International Fellowships (ONIF) to help finance a summer abroad in London, he learned about the Gilman Incentive Grant, an LMU initiative to encourage students to apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, a U.S. Department of State award that provides scholarships for American undergraduate students with high financial need to study or intern abroad. Myers won a Gilman Scholarship and received the Gilman Incentive Grant, a testament to the thorough preparation and support provided by ONIF.
This past spring, LMU received the Institute of International Education’s Andrew Heiskell Award for developing the Gilman Incentive Grant. LMU won an award in the category of Models of International Education Financial Support, a recognition that acknowledges the university’s innovative models for expanding access to international education. For International Education Week, we spotlight Myers and discuss the transformative experience of education abroad.
How did ONIF support you during the Gilman application process?
They provided writing support and presentations on what the selection committee would look for. They provided statistics of who usually applies and noticed those who didn’t while also touching on things we needed to note for our essay writing to make ourselves stand out. They also provided the list of students who won in previous years so we had a guide as we wrote our essays for the applications.
Why do you think it’s important that LMU students have an opportunity to access international education?
LMU students need an opportunity to study abroad because it allows them to expand their horizons and the building of personal character. Studying in the United Kingdom taught me a lot about being independent and the essential skill of charting a path for myself in an unfamiliar place. You will experience growth and the opportunity to see our beautiful world and its people. London was amazing, and my experience was very meaningful I met a lot of lovely people, but it was the professional and cultural experiences that made my time there so special.
How did your time in London shape your future goals?
Academically, studying abroad has made me think about leaving the country for my graduate experience. I loved the United Kingdom university system and I loved experiencing institutions like Oxford during my time abroad. The culture of these schools was so different yet comforting to me and it was a place I felt I could excel. It has also made me want to specialize in Europe’s geopolitics for my career because the interstate dynamics of the continent on top of the European Union are fascinating and I would love to do more academic research on it.
On that note, professionally, I hope to work abroad in Europe one day as a representative of the United States in some capacity and I hope to work in the Middle East, especially since I have a growing fascination with Turkiye and its place in the Western and Eastern geopolitical dynamics. This interest in Middle Eastern geopolitics comes from my Islam and the West course which made me see the urgency of bringing stability to a region plagued with generational ethnic strife for centuries.
What advice would you have for students who are hesitant or on the fence about studying abroad?
Be sure to have your finances in order before you go, it’ll allow you to do more things and explore more of the country while you’re there.
