Wura Ogunnaike '27 was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and will expand on her work in the UK this spring.
Why did you choose to apply for this award?
I applied for this award because I was looking for scholarships to help support me while studying abroad, and I had heard about it earlier in the year, during info sessions from the International Programs Office. I also knew someone who had received the award for an internship over the summer, and her experience motivated me to apply.
Briefly describe the work you will be doing on your fellowship.
I won't be doing anything special for this scholarship, but after my program I have a follow-on project to do to support the Gilman Scholarship and encourage other students to go abroad. I plan on potentially writing articles for The Occidental about my experience, and collaborating with the Econ and DWA departments, and the IPO office, to talk about my experience.
What are you most looking forward to during your time as a fellow?
I'm most looking forward to the opportunity to learn and work in a different country! Studying abroad is an experience that I have been looking forward to for my entire college experience.
How have your experiences at Â鶹ÊÓƵprepared you to apply for this award?
I think that the Oxy's information session helped me keep the scholarship at top of mind, and I was able use staff and other students as resources. The essay questions were a key component of the application process, and I think that Occidentals focus on writing skills allowed me to craft strong responses, because it was a skill I was already exercising.
What advice would you give future applicants about the application process?
Start early, and reach out to other people for help! Whether that be scheduling a session with Jennifer Locke to go over your essays (this was super helpful for me) or by reaching out to other people who won the award.