The University of Tulsa is proud to announce two recent recipients of Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships: Eden Knepper and Ayden Whittaker. Each year, the U.S. Department of State awards the nationally competitive Gilman awards, which enable undergraduate scholars across the United States to participate in study abroad programs.
Eden Knepper
Eden Knepper is a marketing junior from Tulsa who has balanced a 4.0 grade-point average with leadership roles and internships.
The Gilman Scholarship will allow Knepper to go to France for her first study abroad experience this fall. “As a first-generation college student, this opportunity represents not only personal achievement but a broader step toward expanding my perspective through global experiences,” she said. “It’s empowering to know that my hard work, dedication, and goals are being recognized on a national level.”
Knepper is excited to explore the intersection between global business and the arts in Paris. “Studying business in an international context will not only broaden my understanding of global markets and cultural dynamics, but it will also make me a more well-rounded, adaptive, and thoughtful professional,” she said.
Ayden Whittaker
Ayden Whittaker is a cyber security junior from Mounds. He attributes his passion for global learning to his experiences traveling across Europe with his family. “Studying abroad has been a dream of mine since I started college, and this award is helping make that dream a reality,” he said.
Whittaker noted that the Gilman Scholarship will allow him to fully immerse himself in experiences and connections that he can’t get at home without the stress of financial constraints. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I plan to take full advantage of it,” he said.
Whittaker said he is grateful for the opportunity to travel to Italy in the fall. “I hope to immerse myself in everything Rome has to offer – academically, culturally, and personally,” he said.
International inspirations
Earlier this year, the university announced that undergraduates Xayda Alexander and Alexa Miranda had received Gilman Scholarships to fund their spring study abroad plans. All four of these bright scholars have experiences ahead of them that will stick with them for life, and students with a similar interest in studying abroad may look to them as inspiration.
Along with supporting international students and outgoing study abroad programs, UTulsa’s Center for Global Engagement offers nationally competitive scholarship advising for prestigious international grants/fellowships such as the Gilman Scholarship and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.