Emily King

2017 Gilman Scholar

Major

Brain and Behavioral Sciences

College

College of Health and Human Sciences

 

Purdue senior Emily King, a brain and behavioral sciences major in the College of Health and Human Sciences has been selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. King will study in Dublin, Ireland at University College Dublin during the spring 2017 term.

 

“Over time, there has come to be a stark difference between how America views Irish culture, and what it truly is,” King said.  “I hope to become a better global citizen by breaking social and cultural stereotypes while abroad.”

 

King’s inquisitive nature, recognition of Ireland’s expansive history, cultural competence, and clearly articulated academic goals helped her earn the award, said Purdue Professor of Psychological Sciences Ximena Arriaga. 

 

“Emily values diversity and making connections with individuals who have backgrounds that differ from her own,” Arriaga added.  “She also has a great capacity for empathy towards others who have confronted significant challenges.  For example, she is interested in working with undocumented children in school settings to ensure that they have opportunities to succeed.”

 

King will soon be applying to graduate programs to pursue a career in school counseling and is eager to learn from the well-published faculty at University College Dublin, a research-intensive university.  King currently works as a research assistant and hopes to explore the research conducted in Ireland, specifically the Youth Mental Health laboratory housed there.

 

Thanks to the critical aid of the Gilman Program, King will be the first person in her family to study abroad. The program offers substantial funds to undergraduate students with limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career internships abroad. 

 

According to the Gilman Program, such international exchange is intended to better prepare U.S. students to thrive in the global economy and assume leadership roles within government and the private sector. The Gilman Scholarship can be used in conjunction with other awards for study abroad, such as the Purdue Moves scholarship. King has also received the Santogrossi Study Abroad Scholarship from the Department of Psychological Sciences.