SPRINGFIELD, Mo., May 2, 2025 – Three Drury University students – Cameron Beavers, Savannah Belko, and Isabella Woidela – have been selected as finalists for the prestigious Gilman Scholarship for Study Abroad. The Gilman Scholarship is granted to U.S. undergraduate students with financial need who demonstrate academic preparedness to participate in a designated program and design service project.
Beavers, Belko and Woidela give Drury nine Gilman Scholarship recipients over the past three years, including four during this academic year alone.
“It’s exciting that so many Drury students have competed successfully on a national level and were able to articulate their passion for international study as linked to their future profession,” Drury Professor of History and Fellow for the National Scholarships Dr. Shelley Wolbrink said. “Having three Gilman Scholars this spring, and four in total this year, exemplifies our determined student body who, through mentorship, seek additional opportunities to fuel their professional growth.”
Beavers, Belko, and Woidela will receive financial stipends to facilitate their proposals. Administered by the U.S. Department of State, the Gilman Program awarded scholarships to more than 3,500 undergraduate students in 2025.
Cameron Beavers (Biochemistry, Middle Eastern Studies minor, Physics minor, Honors). A sophomore, Beavers will soon depart for the United Arab Emirates to complete his internship with the AACS Hospital of Dubai. Beavers is in his second year of Arabic study at Drury and chose a program to continue to pursue his Arabic studies while abroad. In his essay, he described how language builds community and adds to his pedigree as a global scientist.
Savannah Belko (Biochemistry, Biology, Community Health Minor). Belko, a junior, will be using her Gilman Award to travel to Thessaloniki, Greece, to complete a Pediatric Hospital Internship with the CERCA program in May. In her essay, Belko described the challenges of studying for the MCAT and how this pediatric program will build her future career as a compassionate physician.
Isabella Woidela (Communications and Journalism, DUTV). Woidela is a sophomore and will spend next spring at Regent’s University in London, where she will study journalism, and has hopes of working with the BBC. For her essay, she wrote about her friendships with
international students at Drury being among her most meaningful. She plans to create a video on studying at Regent’s and reveal it to our campus afterwards.
“By supporting outstanding undergraduates with financial need, Cameron, Isabella, and Savannah will gain skills that promote their individual growth and contribute to career readiness,” Dr. Wolbrink said. “Serving as a citizen ambassador abroad is an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Supported by the U.S. Congress, the Gilman Scholarship is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is aided in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. For more information about the Gilman Scholarship program, visit www.gilmanscholarship.org.
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