Ways to Fund a Study-Abroad Scholarship
"My junior year in Bologna, Italy, changed my life and helped me to develop an international perspective. That experience was so transformational for me that I have designated my gift to support global study to help today's Dickinson students enjoy a similar opportunity." —Randall Miller ’71
Did you know?
On average, 63% of Dickinsonians study abroad (compared to 10% of U.S. undergraduates nationally), including 44% of science majors; 60% of student-athletes; and 59% of students of color.
Help Dickinsonians Gain a Global Perspective
Dickinson is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, can immerse themselves in a foreign culture and attain the knowledge, tools and mindset required for tomorrow’s global leaders. But as incomes stagnate and higher-education costs rise, meeting all scholarship requests becomes increasingly challenging. Families who value global learning experiences and Dickinsonians who have benefited from these experiences can “pay it forward” and ensure that future generations of students have resources to take full advantage of Dickinson’s celebrated study-abroad opportunities.
With more than 50 study-abroad options on every inhabited continent on Earth, Dickinson provides one of the very best global studies programs in the country. We recently became the first college to receive the Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization twice, and we have received similar recognition from other organizations, including the Forum on Education Abroad, the American Council on Education, the International Education Exchange, and U.S. News and World Reports. In the last decade, the U.S. Department of State has recognized Dickinson as a top Fulbright-producing college six times.
We know that study-abroad experiences come with significant costs that may discourage students of limited financial means from pursuing Dickinson’s world-class opportunities. We believe that the opportunity to study abroad should never be limited only to those students who can afford it; therefore, at Dickinson, when students study abroad, their financial aid travels with them. Your support for study-abroad scholarships makes this possible and provides life-changing experiences to our students.
"Without your support, I am not sure that I would have been able to complete my Dickinson Degree. Thanks to your investment in the college and its students, however, I earned an amazing education at Dickinson." —Kylie G. Shalala ’21, international studies and Spanish double major and student-athlete who studied abroad in Malaga, Spain and interned at the U.S. Army War College.
"Thank you for providing scholarship that has allowed me to engage myself without worrying about finances. I am immersed in the culture of Bologna and I never imagined I would be living almost a year of my life here in this charming city. I have so much gratitude for your generosity that is allowing me to explore Italy, pursue my interests, and achieve my goals." —Brianna Gessaman ’21, international business and Italian studies double major, Mermaid Player and Liberty Cap, who studied abroad in Bologna for the entirety of her junior year.
Study Abroad Scholarship Giving Opportunities
Below are several opportunities to ensure Dickinson’s study abroad programs remain accessible to students regardless of their financial means. Funding levels identified in the descriptions of the opportunities named below assume that the gift will be invested with Dickinson’s endowment and restricted for the gift purpose, which will be explained and documented in a written agreement. The funding levels reflect the minimum gift required to support each opportunity.
$100,000
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Establish a named endowed fund for a student studying abroad.
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Ensure that a student’s scholarship travels with them when they study abroad.
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Help a student meet the additional costs incurred through study abroad.
$250,000
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Establish a named endowed fund for a student studying abroad.
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Ensure that a student’s scholarship travels with them when they study abroad.
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Help a student meet the additional costs incurred through study abroad.
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State a preference for the study abroad site.
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Scholarship is awarded in the year following the donor’s first payment on the gift.
$500,000
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Establish a named endowed fund for a student studying abroad.
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Ensure that a student’s scholarship travels with them when they study abroad.
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Help a student meet the additional costs incurred through study abroad.
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State a preference for the study abroad site.
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Scholarship is awarded in the year following the donor’s first payment on the gift.
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Provides a stipend for one semester above and beyond the student’s scholarship so they can take full advantage of their time abroad without incurring additional debt.
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Donor may choose to be recognized at a physical space on campus.
$1,000,000
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Establish a named endowed fund for a student studying abroad.
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Ensure that a student’s scholarship travels with them when they study abroad.
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Help a student meet the additional costs incurred through study abroad.
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State a preference for the study abroad site.
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Scholarship is awarded in the year following the donor’s first payment on the gift.
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Donor is recognized as a member of the Founders' Society
Less than $100,000
Donors may contribute any amount to an existing endowed study-abroad scholarship fund or the Dickinson Fund annual scholarship fund. Preference is given to students who plan to study overseas for a full year.
Current Endowed Scholarship Funds
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David A. Baram ’68 and Judy Garza Scholarship: Established in 2016 by David A. Baram, class of 1968, and Judy Garza to provide support for a worthy student with demonstrated need. First preference shall be awarded to a student who is studying abroad. Through the establishment of this scholarship Mr. Baram and Mrs. Garza wish to express, "We have greatly valued the volunteer medical work we have done. It has been a truly wonderful and transforming experience for both of us. We hope to share this same sense of joy, adventure, and fulfillment with a Dickinson student studying abroad.
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Francesco Guccini Study Abroad Scholarship: Established in 2020 in honor of former Italian language instructor Francesco Guccini to provide support for students with demonstrated financial need who study abroad in Bologna.
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K. Robert and Juliana P. Nilsson Scholarship: Established in 2015 in honor of K. Robert Nilsson (1927-1999) and Juliana Nilsson. Dickinson established its presence in Bologna in the fall of 1965, when Professor of Political Science K. Robert Nilsson and his wife Juliana led 16 juniors and seniors on a year of study in Italy. Since then, numerous students have participated in what became Dickinson's first permanent study-abroad program. Building upon this success, the college expanded its opportunities for off-campus study and is now widely recognized as a leader in global education. The Nilsson Scholarship shall be used to provide support for a student studying at the K. Robert Nilsson Center in Bologna, Italy. Preference will go to a student who is participating in the program for the entire academic year and who demonstrates financial need. Special preference will be given to a student(s) who needs additional support to ensure he or she can take full advantage of his or her time in Italy.
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Marco Biagi Fund: Established in 2003 to honor the memory of Professor Marco Biagi, who taught students at the R. K. Nilsson Center in Bologna, Italy, for over twenty years to provide support for students with demonstrated financial need who study abroad in Bologna.
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Rugaber Study Abroad Scholarship: Established in 2007 by Christopher Sanford Rugaber, class of 1990, and Elizabeth Wohlken Rugaber to provide study abroad scholarship support for worthy students.
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Taylor-Tyree Family Study Abroad Scholarship: Established in 2005 by Barry E. Taylor, Esq., class of 1970, and his spouse, Mrs. Elizabeth Tyree Taylor, to provide financial assistance for a worthy student planning to study abroad at a Dickinson program for either a semester or a year. Preference is given to a student studying in China or India.
Take the Next Steps
If you would like to explore establishing an endowed scholarship to provide study abroad opportunities for students with financial need, please call 800-543-3809 or email giving@dickinson.edu.
