Education Student Wins National Scholarship to Study in Italy (06/05/26)

HIGHLIGHTS

• The human development and family studies major from Charlotte, North Carolina, is the recipient of a coveted Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which is a highly competitive scholarship available through the U.S. State Department.
• Beam, who is also completing a minor in international global studies with a concentration in child adolescent studies, plans to travel throughout Italy and to many different countries.

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University student Maggie Beam will spend this fall studying abroad at Florence University of The Arts in Florence, Italy, on a prestigious scholarship.

The human development and family studies major from Charlotte, North Carolina, is the recipient of a coveted Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which is a highly competitive scholarship available through the U.S. State Department. Nearly 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year. Those eligible are of limited financial means who want to study abroad to gain skills critical to the nation's national security and economic prosperity. 

Beam is thankful for the opportunity. "I am so excited to be fully immersed in another culture, while learning the history and gaining a global perspective through international education," said Beam, who is also completing a minor in international global studies with a concentration in child adolescent studies. "I will be taking a handful of different classes while abroad including a culture shock class and a grow, cook and heal class, which I am excited about. I plan to travel to many different countries and all over Italy."

She said that receiving a Gilman Scholarship is an incredible honor. "This scholarship will help make my study abroad experience financially possible and allow me to focus more on exploring and learning," Beam said. "I hope to use this experience to become more independent and expand my understanding of different cultures. I also hope to bring back all my experiences to Winthrop students and my future career!"

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at [email protected].