Carleton announced as top producing institution for Gilman Program’s 25th Anniversary

Carleton was recognized this year as a Top Producer of Gilman Scholars for the entire 25‑year history of the Gilman Program.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarships to students with high financial need to study or intern abroad. This year, the program is celebrating its 25th anniversary of supporting American students to learn critical career skills that support the United States’ economic competitiveness and security by studying abroad.

“At Carleton, we are 100% committed to making study abroad experiences accessible to all students, academically and financially,” said Helena Kaufman, director of Off-Campus Studies. “The Gilman International Scholarship Program has been a reliable and generous partner in helping us achieve this important goal. We are very grateful for their support.”

This achievement highlights that Carleton is a national leader in supporting students to be competitive and successful applicants and recipients of scholarships from the Gilman Program. One hundred and three universities and colleges were recognized, categorized by institution size and type and representing 31 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. In the Small Institutions category (fewer than 5,000 students), Carleton is tied for #25 with Nebraska Wesleyan University, Smith College, and Spring Arbor University.

Carleton’s Office of Off-Campus Studies interviewed two recent recipients of Gilman scholarships after the recognition was announced, talking to Carlos Trejo ’26 and Nathan Zhang ’27. They talked about the Gilman application process, their off-campus study programs, and how their scholarships helped them have personally and academically rewarding OCS experiences.

“I remember having an exhilarating experience at Venice,” Trejo recounted in one of his answers. “I went to an opera performance, Il Barbiere de Siviglia, at Musica a Palazzo. The show was extremely engaging and funny… but the best part is that I got involved in the performance! The actors engaged with the audience partly by physically interacting with them as if they were side characters.”

“I remember riding a tram along the Danube to the Buda Castle area and seeing the Hungarian Parliament across the river at night with all the lights on,” Zhang said. “Also, seeing the Danube at sunset when crossing Margit Bridge in the fall was breathtaking.”

Trejo and Zhang encouraged current students to apply for a Gilman scholarship and definitely study abroad while at Carleton, emphasizing how rewarding the experience was for them.

“I found that Gilman provides a very generous amount of money for people who get accepted,” Trejo said. “The Gilman scholarship really helped a lot with trying out a bunch of meals and purchasing lots of gifts for my family without having to worry too much about my financial situation.”

“I made a lot of lifetime memories studying abroad, and Carleton makes studying abroad very accessible to all students,” Zhang added. “As for the Gilman Scholarship, I would also encourage applying. Not only do you receive financial support, you also can connect with a network of Gilman Alumni and receive professional development opportunities.”

About the Gilman Program

The Gilman Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 2001 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026. The Gilman Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The Gilman Program 25 Anniversary Top Producing Institution campaign recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that have supported the most Gilman Scholars.