Remember when we broke a study abroad scholarship record earlier this year? Well, we’ve increased that total again with more prestigious Gilman scholars – three, in fact – who are heading off to Japan, Jordan, and the United Kingdom to dig a little deeper into their studies.

Azin Bahari, ’19, Dominique Cressler, ’20, and Ayele J. d'Almeida, ’20, are the newest ambitious Spiders who are joining the elite Gilman crew. Cressler and d'Almeida aren’t new to going above and beyond, however, as they are both Bonner Scholars with UR’s Center for Civic Engagement.

“I have been passionate about working with displaced peoples and hope to dedicate the rest of my life to it,” said Cressler, who is heading to Amman, Jordan, next spring. “Studying abroad will be a big step for me to improve my Arabic fluency.”

These three students are part of the impressive 65 percent of Spiders who study abroad before graduation. We are so proud Richmond is a place that supports international opportunities for our students — and we wish the best of luck to Azin, Dominique, and Ayele!