If at first you don’t succeed, apply, apply again.
New graduate Paula Gallegos put a new spin on that old adage of perseverance by winning a Gilman Scholarship on her second effort.
The result was a $2,500 grant that she used to join a IU East study-abroad trip to Costa Rica that ran from May 14-22.
The resident of Union City, Indiana, improved her chances by revising the written pieces of the application – including a statement of purpose and follow-up proposal, said Julien Simon, study-abroad director at Indiana University East.
Gallegos said she would have struggled to take part in the trip if not for the grant and some other financial aid she received from IU East:
“It was definitely a blessing.”
The trip served as the culmination of schoolwork that she needed to earn her BS degree in Biochemistry.
She speaks with accolades about the study-abroad experience:
“It was amazing.”
It also was grueling at times because of the tropical climate and because some of the hands-on research was done overnight while walking on sandy beaches.
Those sentiments were shared by others in the group of eight students from IU East. They took part in overnight counts of female Leatherback sea turtles and their nests. They measured some baby turtles and watched them be released into the ocean. They visited rain forests to learn about ecology and conservation.
They hiked trails and viewed a smorgasbord of amphibians, birds and reptiles (including a baby viper and an endangered Great green macaw). They connected with guides and a couple fellow students from Canada, who tagged along with the group from IU East.
“We had a really good time. It’s somewhat challenging with the climate. Students had a positive attitude and got involved in the science of it,” said trip leader Jill Schweitzer, assistant professor of Biology and of Biochemistry at IU East.
“I would definitely encourage others to take this course, but it’s very hot and humid and physically demanding,” Gallegos said. “You should be physically prepared for the climate.”
Another IU East student, Roz Jeter of Richmond, was awarded a Gilman grant in March, but was unable to take part in a study-abroad trip to Spain last May. Jeter is a senior who is majoring in History with a minor in Spanish. There is a possibility he could use the grant on another study-abroad experience.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program awards about 3,000 grants each year to students who lack the funds to study or intern abroad. All applicants must be an undergraduate who is a recipient of a Pell Grant.
“That’s a federal award. It’s pretty prestigious,” said Schweitzer.
Simon said the process is very competitive: “On average, about 25 percent of applications are accepted.”
Jeter and Gallegos were the third and fourth students from IU East to be given the honor. The first two were Alex Hakes of Yorktown and Shelly Smith of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Simon said he and trip leaders put information out in a variety of ways for students who are interested in joining upcoming trips and need help to pay for them. The Gilman Scholarship has become a big resource in recent years.
“Paula and Roz approached me after hearing about it and I helped them by providing them with resources and guidance, by meeting with them, by reading drafts, too,” Simon said. “Brittney Chesher is also very knowledgeable about this scholarship and has assisted several students in the past.”
Chesher is director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
More information about the Gilman Scholarships is available at https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/
Other student participants in the Costa Rica trip were Amanda Bowling, Claire Coddington, Taegan Eiler, Kayla Miles, Chloe Mitchell, Abigail Page and Liz Stubblefield. Ron Intyre, senior lecturer in biology, also joined in the trip.
Students started signing up last fall for the trip that included several online classes/orientation meetings during the Spring Semester.
A main focus for students was leatherback sea turtles.
“They come out of water at night to lay eggs every two to three years,” Schweitzer said. “Researchers try to intercept them before they drop (into nests).”
Students split into two groups that walked in four-hour overnight shifts. “That part was challenging, to walk through sand when it’s dark and they are tired,” Schweitzer said. “They found ways to make it enjoyable.”
Students helped measure hatched turtles and then helped release them.
“That was an emotional moment for them,” Schweitzer said.
Gallegos said the students bonded well with each other and their guides:
“We were all pretty close. We had shared classes or knew each other from time on campus. It was nice to share the experience.”
She plans to apply for a job with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Eventually, I am hoping to further my education and go to medical school,” she said.
