Jalynn Maximus Chang

2024 Gilman Scholarship Recipient

Hometown

Carmel, IN

Major

Industrial Design Professional Program

College

College of Liberal Arts

 

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.

 

Max Chang received the Gilman Scholarship for a semester-long study abroad at the National University of Singapore. His minor in Mandarin Chinese will serve him well as Mandarin is one of the languages widely spoken in Singapore. The vast resources available to aspiring entrepreneurs and venture capitalists drew him to this country. However, beyond providing support to grow his technology skillset, Singapore also boasts a diverse population with a rich cultural heritage that makes for a world of opportunity to learn and grow from the cultures, languages, and traditions that can be found there.

 

Having grown up on a farm, Max is no stranger to fresh foods and farmer’s markets. To relax, Max intends to visit Singapore’s hawker centers (open-air markets) and converse with the owners to learn from them about their food specialties. His interests don’t stop there. He intends to expand his culinary repertoire through learning how to make the Singaporean foods while sharing some dishes unique to his Chinese American heritage.

 

Max recognizes the challenges computer science students face when planning a study abroad around coursework, internships, and other experiences. Sharing his enthusiasm for international experiences leads to his follow-on project: a guidebook for his peers that will aid in making the complex planning involved with study abroad easier to navigate and introduce them to the Gilman Scholarship.