Contact:
Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 464-4854
940 Second Street – Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
E-mail: eblevins@shawnee.edu 
Web site: www.shawnee.edu

            Shawnee State University student Jonathan Phillips, of New Boston, has received a $4,000 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education.
            The Gilman Scholarship program received 2,050 applications for 850 awards and Phillips was one of the 850 to receive an award. He will be going to Morocco to study during Spring Semester as an exchange student.
            The program provides scholarships to students who study abroad, including students from diverse backgrounds and students going to non-traditional study abroad destinations. The scholarship will pay for fees, tuition, room and board, airfare, books, local transportation and insurance.
            To qualify for the scholarship, Phillips had to write an essay on why he wants to study abroad and why he chose the program and the country, among other things. In his essay, he talked about how he started college pursuing a business degree right after high school and dropped out. After three and a half years, he returned to the university with the realization that he could study a subject that he was passionate about – history.
            “I came to school the first time just wanting to get it over with and the second time, I was genuinely excited about pursuing a degree in history,” Phillips said. “I realized the first step in setting successful career goals is following your passions, what you have an affinity toward, and what can inspire you to generate the determination and effort required to achieve a degree.”
            He will be in Ifrane, Morocco at Al Akhawayn University. When he returns to Portsmouth, he plans to exhibit photos and present a program about his study abroad experience to middle school students.