Gilman Scholarship

There is an old Moorish proverb that reads, “He who does not travel, does not know the value of man.” That quote resonates deep within me because I have a yearning to use my education to empower those in need. In order to do so, I need to see and experience the world outside of the one I am accustomed to. Curiosity is one of the traits that define the person that I am; because of this trait I always ask questions about the world around me and the people I meet. This is one of the driving forces behind my desire to venture outside of the United States to learn a new language and culture. As a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, I aim to study the French language in Paris, France through the four-week Intensive French program offered by Florida

As an Economics major, having international experience in a culturally-rich environment such as Paris will allow me to exercise my language and intercultural skills. I especially look forward meaningful forming relationships with people from diverse backgrounds; my peers and the local residents. The French language in particular is spoken around the world in both Western and developing nations, including my parents’ homeland of Haiti. When I graduate I want to become a Foreign Service Officer, with a specialization in Francophone countries, giving me the power to connect with local communities and make a positive impact through my work in the official government language. My career goal is to one-day serve as the United States Ambassador for Haiti. Because I am deeply passionate about the plight of Haitians that immigrate to the United States every year so I believe becoming the Ambassador will give me a strong voice to influence Haitian public policy and education, as well as improving relations with the Dominican Republic and United States. Attaining working proficiency in the French language is the first step towards attaining this

My father has recently become unemployed, and my mother is still recovering from surgery as I write this essay and is also unable to work. I know my parents support my decision to study abroad, but they must prioritize the day-to-day needs of my siblings and their medical bills, and as such they cannot possibly afford to aid me financially. Unfortunately, I have continued to put off participation in international education because of financial hardship. I distinctly remember during the fall of my freshman year of college not being able to afford a one-week international exchange program. I felt devastated as I wrote an email to the program director saying that I wanted nothing more than to participate but I did not have the monetary means to finance my voyage. At the beginning of my junior year, I applied for another cultural exchange program with the eager desire of broadening my horizons, but I again lacked the financial means to fund my participation. Now that I have found a program that is in alignment with my current academic interests and my long-term career goals, I am determined to find the funding that will make my participation