Ever since watching her older sister travel the world, Sabrina Halk knew she wanted to study abroad in London. Sabrina was selected as a recipient of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) scholarship in 2022, meaning this year, she is having the abroad experience that she has always wanted. This is her first time traveling internationally.
Sabrina is 1 of 935 students to have benefited from $3 million in scholarships granted since FEA’s inception in 2010. Many of the recipients are students of color, first-generation college students, and community college students. Sabrina is a first-generation student from Brick, NJ.
“My dreams of studying abroad are coming true because of this scholarship,” said Sabrina. “I am paying for my abroad experience entirely myself. My mom is a single mother, and I don’t want to put that financial burden on her, so the scholarship is really lifting a weight off my shoulders.”
As a graphic design major in her sophomore year, Sabrina is taking courses on digital production, theater, and ethics at St. Mary’s Twickenham London. “I’m looking forward to developing a cosmopolitan mindset that will influence my artistic style,” she said.
According to the letter Sabrina received from the Fund for Education Abroad, there was just a 6% chance that an applicant would receive the scholarship, and Sabrina was one of thousands of applicants.
“It’s very challenging to get accepted for an FEA scholarship, and Sabrina is our first GCU student to ever receive this national study abroad scholarship,” said Laura Grodewald, Director of Global Education Programs.
“I’m very grateful that I was chosen,” said Sabrina. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of the GCU community. Ms. Grodewald was the one who made me aware of the scholarship and helped me through every step of the process. I can’t wait to share everything I learn in London with my community when I return.” To read student testimonials about their abroad experiences, you can visit the Global Education Blog. For more information about global opportunities at GCU, students can visit the Global Education Programs page or email Laura Grodewald at lgrodewald@georgian.edu.
