Three Baruch College Undergraduates Earn Spring 2021 Gilman Scholarships

March 1, 2021

Three Baruch College undergraduates—all aspiring to study abroad with a scholarship—will now have that opportunity after being selected as Spring 2021 Gilman International Scholars.

Since 2001, the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program has been providing students of limited financial means the opportunity to study or intern abroad. Scholars receive up to $5,000, which enables them “to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures, skills that are critically important to their academic and career development.” This year, the program is allowing recipients to defer their travel due to the global pandemic.

Meet the Spring 2021 Gilman Scholars

Joel De La Cruz

Joel De La Cruz (’22), an economics major who is also minoring in history at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, is planning to study abroad in Japan. He is hoping that learning about new people and ideas in other countries will benefit his career goals of working in the technology industry.

“I would like to build on professional and character development,” De La Cruz said. “I want to go to law school after graduating and create some meaningful experiences that will inform my outlook on the global professional industries and interests.”

De La Cruz, who won a Freeman-ASIA scholarship last summer, credits Baruch College for helping him secure financial support to propel his academic studies.

“Baruch has prepared me by helping me develop character and experiences that would make me an applicant to win awards that further my studies and succeed,” De La Cruz added.

Mohammad Khan

Mohammad Khan (’21) is majoring in computer information systems major at the Zicklin School of Business and minoring in communication studies at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. Khan was inspired to apply for the Gilman scholarship after participating in an exchange program in China in 2019 calling it “one of the best experiences of my college career.”

Khan chose Tokyo, Japan as his destination to further study Japanese language and culture.

“This opportunity will help me achieve valuable international experience which will make me cross-culturally aware and boost my self-confidence by living in new, unexpected circumstances,” said Khan, who also won a Fund for Education Abroad scholarship last spring.

He continued, “Japan is one of the most high-tech countries in the world. I think studying there will help me learn technology skills in order to get a leadership position within this industry. I will be diversifying my international experience and subject matter expertise.”

Jacob Lam

Jacob Lam (’22), who is majoring in digital marketing at the Zicklin School of Business and studying for a minor in new media arts at the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, is considering South Korea for his abroad experience, possibly in the 2021 Fall semester.

According to Lam, studying in this East Asian nation could contribute to his career goal to become a successful marketer who creates value for a larger number of customers.

“In the U.S. where our country is growing more diverse with people from different backgrounds, I want to learn about various cultures to be able to market to a wider audience and enhance my studies of marketing here at Baruch,” explained Lam,

Lam is also looking forward to improving his studies of the Korean language.

“I want to grow as a person that is equipped to handle higher intensity jobs and be a more competitive candidate for the work industry,” Lam added. “Winning the Gilman scholarship will help me achieve this goal because it gives me an opportunity to learn about different ways to interact with another culture. I am incredibly excited and ready for a new chapter of my life.”

Learn About Student Award Opportunities

Baruch College’s Office of National & Prestigious Fellowships Advising supports students throughout the application process for several scholarships and fellowships, including Gilman, Fulbright, Freeman-ASIA, Watson, and Venture for America.

Learn more about the office’s resources here.

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