University of Idaho Education Abroad

We are loving these photos from the Media & Memory: Storytelling in the Czech Republic program! This group spent three weeks in May and June exploring Prague, Brno, Cesky Krumlov, and beyond, while producing podcasts, photo essays, video pieces, blog pieces, and so much more.

Owen Allenger is an Elementary Ed major who is spending his summer in Santiago, Chile! He's been busy exploring his host city, including to places like Cerro Santa Lucia, Cerro San Cristobal, and the historic home of poet and Nobel laureate, Pablo Neruda. He's also taken a trip to the coast to visit Valparaiso and Vina del Mar!

Congratulations to our Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship March 2025 Cycle recipients:

Topher Squires - Hiroshima, Japan (Fall 2025)
Kim Pham - Florence, Italy (Summer 2025)
Wendy Diaz-Sanchez - Torino, Italy (Summer 2025)
Milo Lindemood - Santiago, Chile (Fall 2025)
Kelly Campos - Barcelona, Granada & Sevilla, Spain (Summer 2025)
Andy Gomez Montalvan - Santiago, Chile (Fall 2025)
Dayln Thomas - Talloires, France (Summer 2025)
Kaley Anderson - Rome, Italy (Summer 2025)
Bradley Gilmore - Prague, Czech Republic (Summer 2025)
Jack Adams - Chiang Mai, Thailand (Fall 2025)
Lisbeth Gomez-Esquivel - Barcelona, Granada & Sevilla, Spain (Summer 2025)
Isaac Falen - Cork, Ireland (Academic Year 2025-2026)
Sami Sindt - Reading, United Kingdom (Fall 2025)

The Gilman Scholarship is a program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA). ECA fosters mutual understanding between people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations.

Go Vandals!

Gilman International Scholarship Program

Meet Abby Bowman, a junior at the University of Idaho studying psychology. Last semester, she took her studies abroad to Athens, Greece, where she gained a new perspective on human nature, culture, and herself. "Being in Greece has shown me how humans have always shared the same human nature," Abby says.
Studying abroad didn’t just change how she sees the world—it changed how she sees herself. "My sense of the world has broadened so much. I perceive myself as so much smaller and uneducated at life than I did before. I also am so much more independent, which is always a good life skill."
Abby says that besides the delicious food that the Greek culture is famous for, she also loved the warmth of the Greek people. "Greek people are unlike any other culture I've ever known about or come across."

Today, we are highlighting our ambassador, Nancy! Nancy said, "Studying abroad has been a great experience, I hope to do it again in the near future." Nancy is a Medical Sciences major and studied comparative health systems in London last summer. "This study abroad experience has allowed me to get out of my comfort zone. It improved my problem-solving abilities, and I have also adopted adventure and spontaneity," Nancy said. "Academically this experience has allowed me to increase intellectual curiosity, improve time management skills, and I have encountered different educational approaches." Nancy was also inspired by a quote rom Paddington Bear: "In London everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in."

Today, we are highlighting our ambassador, Maurilio! Maurilio studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan last year. He said, "Studying abroad changed my perspective on how I view life and hold myself today. I believe everyone should have the chance to not just experience a different culture from their own, but live in a different culture." While in Japan, Maurilio studied Japanese culture and history at J.F. Oberlin University.

Meet Eemil, a junior studying mechanical engineering at Tampere University in Finland. This semester, he’s taking engineering classes at U of I and exploring a new part of the U.S. Having lived in Texas as a child and traveled to several states, Eemil wanted to experience the Pacific Northwest. Back home, he stays busy with classes, volunteering for his university’s student guild, working as a security guard, and playing basketball. So far, he’s enjoying the social atmosphere at U of I and finding the coursework a bit easier than back home.
Welcome to the Vandal family, Eemil!

Moving to a new country alone is no small adjustment, but Anne Sogaard was up for the challenge. As an exchange student from the University of Southern Denmark, she chose UI for its course options and small-town feel. Now, she’s settling into life in Moscow—meeting new people, studying on campus, and trying American classics like Buffalo Wild Wings.
Welcome to the Vandal family, Anne!

UI student Noah Lindsley is exploring UNESCO sites while studying abroad in Chengdu, China. Noah is majoring in International Studies and Modern Languages Study.

Today we are highlighting our ambassador, Jayden! Jayden studied abroad in Florence, Italy, last summer. She said that she was initially nervous about going abroad, but she recommends that students should "do it even if you are scared." Jayden is studying business marketing and graphic design and wishes that she could bring the local art culture back to the U.S. with her. "There were so many local artists around every corner," Jayden said. She said she loved her plein air painting and art history classes the most. "We would take walking tours to non-touristy places and learn about the history or just hang out and paint the beautiful scenery."