Valeria Grillo Alvarado

2023 Gilman Scholarship Recipient

Hometown

Indianapolis, Indiana

Major

Civil Engineering

College

College of Engineering

 

Established in 2001, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is committed to sending American students of limited financial means from all backgrounds to study abroad.

 

Valeria Grillo Alvarado was awarded the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in South Korea on the Council on International Educational Exchange program at Yonsei University. As an aspiring civil engineer, she looks forward to developing her global competency and learning more about coastal engineering and coastal construction from one of Yonsei which specialties in climate change adaptation technology.

 

Adaptation is nothing new to Valeria. Having immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela, she remembers what it is like to navigate a new culture and language. The skills she learned then will apply to her experiences in South Korea as she participates in cultural exchange, going beyond entertainment culture’s stereotypes to gain an accurate understanding of the South Korean community, history, and culture.

 

Upon return, Valeria plans to reach out to the Hispanic and minority student communities at Purdue to encourage them to study abroad and learn more about her program in South Korea.