Students receive financial awards to study abroad

Three Cumberlands students have received significant financial awards toward their study abroad adventures, thanks to generous donors.

Peyton Anderson, a general studies major at Cumberlands, and Meghan Minniear, a psychology major, will be traveling to Italy with Professor Russell Weedman. Kristin Mitchell, an English major, will be traveling to London and Paris with Associate Professor Jason Bourne. The students received $1,200 each toward their study abroad travels. Both trips will occur in spring 2023.
Julie Deyrup, Director of UC Study Abroad, explained the importance of these awards, “These generous financial gifts were higher than we have ever received or given in UC Study Abroad for our undergraduate programming. We want our Patriots to see the world, and we hope to offer this opportunity to our student travelers again next year!”

Students visiting Italy will fulfill an art credit and will be learning about art materials and techniques of Italian Renaissance masters. Meanwhile, visiting London and Paris will fulfill a communication arts credit in which travelers will learn about argumentation and advocacy.

The student winners were selected based on the merit of their application essays, in which students explained how participating in study abroad would help them both academically and professionally.

Throughout fall 2022, Deyrup worked extensively with officers in the university’s Office of Development to engage study abroad alumni and supporters, hoping to encourage gifts for travel award funding for our undergraduate students. The effort was rewarded; UC Study Abroad was a top-earning department for the 2022 Cumberlands Give Day. Now, students are receiving the direct benefit of the donors’ generosity.

To learn more about Cumberlands’ study abroad program, visit www.ucumberlands.edu/academics/undergraduate/study-abroad.

To help more Cumberlands students have the opportunity to study abroad, visit www.ucumberlands.edu/give2uc.