BMCC Students Earn Scholarships to Global Learning Experiences

Eleven students from Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) were awarded scholarships to study abroad programs at various parts of the world. Thirteen scholarships were awarded among 11 students, including a first-time winner for the Fund for Education Abroad and a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. government. The scholarship recipients will be studying in different parts of the world that include Brazil, China, Mexico and Spain.

“BMCC is comparable to many four-year institutions,” said Jessica A. Levin, Experiential Learning and Study Abroad Manager. “We are very proud of our students, who clearly demonstrate their skills and abilities to compete for these scholarships. I am impressed by the variety of majors. This shows that there is a diverse group of students who can take advantage of this opportunity.”

Yetunde Adesunloro (Liberal Arts) and Assel Frolova (Business Administration) were each awarded a CUNY Chancellor Award and a Gilman Scholarship. Other Gilman Scholarship recipients were Eric Day (Modern Languages), Deysy De La Cruz (Human Services) and Sara El (Liberal Arts).

“I am excited about meeting new people, trying new foods and learning about the Afro Latina culture in Brazil,” Adesunloro says. “Also, the thought of visiting the beautiful architectures and historical sites in Salvador da Bahia makes me more enthusiastic about the trip. This is a great opportunity for me to learn outside my class room in an entirely different country. I look forward to this unforgettable experience!”

“I’m very excited to participate in Study Abroad Mexico program because thanks to it I will get to visit our closest neighbor and learn about Mexican history and culture first hand, enjoy the nature and authentic food, practice my Spanish language and get to know local citizens and artisans,” Frolova says.

“What I love about the study abroad experience is that it gives you an opportunity to learn more than just language,” says Day, who will be studying in Spain. “It gives you an opportunity to learn about a culture that is not your own.”

Mario Altamirano, Jr. (Criminal Justice) earned a scholarship to the Critical Language Scholarship Program; Man Huang Ho (Computer Science) earned a scholarship from Fund for Education Abroad; Sinaia Jones (Liberal Arts) earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship; Brandon Morales (History) earned the Hostel International Explore the World Scholarship; Maria Rivera (Art Foundations: Studio Art) earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship; and Elizabeth Taylor (Business Administration) also earned a CUNY Chancellor Scholarship.

“As a community college student, I was highly doubtful of actually getting a country- wide scholarship where talented students from all 50 states could potentially be chosen, says Altamirano, who will be studying in China. “I really couldn’t thank the Hunter Global Linkage Project enough for simply encouraging me and telling me about this amazing opportunity. In Suzhou, China I am really looking forward to living with my host family and interacting with native Chinese speakers in Mandarin Chinese at all times while abroad.”

“I am most excited about exploring a new culture and language,” says Jones, who will be studying in Spain. “I have learned so much about Spanish Culture and language through my classes at BMCC. Studying abroad would give me the opportunity to experience first-hand everything I’ve been learning about.”

“I am most excited to learn about a new culture and experience it firsthand,” says Morales, who will be studying in Brazil. “I cannot wait to try new food and meet new people!”

“I am so excited about the weather and the new culture I’ll be embracing!,” says Rivera, who is also going to study in Brazil.

“I am very excited for the China study abroad program,” Taylor says. “It has been my dream to include such a program in my studies at BMCC. The school has been extremely helpful and made the process smooth in making this a reality. The fact that I have been awarded a scholarship is amazing and will be a great help in accomplishing my dream and goals of studying abroad.”

Students who are interested in learning about opportunities available through BMCC’s Study Abroad Program can call Jessica Levin, Experiential Learning and Study Abroad Manager at (212) 776-6429 or jlevin@bmcc.cuny.edu.