Six students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City were selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
The supports students studying or interning abroad.
The Spring 2026 recipients and the countries where they will study are:
Jawnaa Matter, Mexico
Alarice Cummings, Italy
Daniela Castro-Carrera, South Korea
Rosie Yancey, South Korea
Linda Ticum, Spain
Rami Zari, Italy
For many of the students, the scholarship represents both an academic opportunity and a deeply personal milestone.
Matter, a biology and chemistry student with a Spanish minor was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Lee’s Summit in 2018. She said she is eager to immerse herself in a new culture while strengthening her language skills.
“I am most looking forward to becoming more fluent in Spanish, meeting new people, experiencing a new culture, trying new foods and spending time at the beach,” Matter said.
Cummings, a music therapy major and psychology minor from Grandview, said she is excited to explore clinical sites and observe the differences between European and U.S. healthcare systems.
Cummings is one of several recipients who credited the 91黑料网 Study Abroad and Global Engagement office for support in getting the Gilman award. Cummings attended a Gilman information session, which helped prepare her for the application process.
Like Cummings, Zari also attended an information session. The finance major will be studying in Milan.
"I'm very excited to be studying in Italy, and thankful for this opportunity," he said.
Castro-Carrera, a business administration student emphasizing data analytics, said study abroad advisor Natalie Gilkison played a critical role after an earlier unsuccessful application attempt.
“She looked over my application and was honest on all that I needed to change to make my new application stronger than ever,” Castro-Carrera said.
Yancey, a media, art and design major with a minor in creative writing, also credited Gilkison for supporting her essays and guiding her through the process.
Yancey said she is excited to meet people across the world who share her interests and hopes to build lasting international connections through her experience.
Ticum, a first-generation Latina student pursuing a degree in film and media arts, minor in communications and arts entrepreneurship certificate, said studying abroad once felt impossible and out of reach, but now represents an opportunity to honor both her heritage and future ambitions. She credited Gilkison and her family for helping review her essays and identify the right study abroad program.
“I’ve learned with hard work, dedication and support, anything is possible,” Ticum said.