Heidi Ly

2021 Offered Gilman Scholarship

Hometown

Fountain Valley, CA

Major

Developmental & Family Science

College

College of Health and Human Sciences

 

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.

 

Offered the Gilman Scholarship, Heidi Ly planned to fulfill this mission by choosing the study abroad option to complete the capstone experience for her degree in Developmental and Family Science. Although she ultimately had to decline the scholarship due to the pandemic, Heidi developed a vision for her professional goals through her experience of visiting relatives in Vietnam, collaborating with the podcast, “Journey to the West,” and writing for the online publication, “Pro-Asian Voice.”

 

In the process, she drew connections between Vietnam and Korea regarding the challenges faced by the elderly in both post-war countries. As Heidi discovered her motivation to work with the elderly Korean American demographic, she found a match with her interests in the study abroad program led by Purdue professors, who identify internship opportunities aligned with each student’s academic and career goals. In anticipation of spending her summer in Seoul, Korea, Heidi enrolled in Korean 101 and plans to share her experience in writing through another online platform, “Plan A Magazine.”