Contact: Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
Copy by Brad Newman
CANYON, Texas – One West Texas A&M University student recently spent two months studying in Japan and sightseeing in the country after receiving a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State.
Holly Boyd, a junior communication major from Katy, was awarded a $3,000 Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship from the State Department. The funds make it possible for Boyd, a first-generation college student, to take her first international trip.
“Being abroad helped me appreciate what I have, while also giving me a yearning for more,” Boyd said. “It put a sense of wonder in me and made me curious to see different areas of the world.”
The Gilman Scholarship allows students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, equipping them with international experience, global perspectives, and foreign language skills, according to the State Department.
“The scholarship was a big determining factor in my ability to go,” Boyd said. “Once I learned I received it, it took a lot of stress off my shoulders.”
Boyd, an online student, continued her WT studies while abroad, taking three courses toward her degree while living in Japan from September to November.
But she also took two courses in Kyoto, Japan, through WT’s partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange. CIEE is a nonprofit organization that facilitates global learning through study abroad.
The electives, Modernizing Ancient Japan and Japanese Manga and Art, broadened her understanding of Japanese culture, history and art, she said.
“I’ve always been interested in learning about Japan,” she said. “This was such a fun step to getting a more global perspective.”
The six weeks of coursework also included local excursions to nearby notable locations, including one overnight trip.
The program is designed to fully immerse students in Japanese life, including language, food, and the local economy.
“It was so fun to just dive right into all that Japan has to offer,” Boyd said. “I tried to get out and do something every day. I met so many different kinds of people, and it was just a really cool place to take classes.”
Before her classes, which met in the afternoon, Boyd would frequently use public transit to visit religious temples, Zen gardens and historical sites.
“Studying abroad really helps our students understand the scope of the world we live in,” said Itzel Anett, WT’s Director of Study Abroad. “We also know it has a real impact on their lives long-term.
“Students who study abroad are better able to engage with people from all sorts of backgrounds, take initiative, and solve problems,” Anett continued. “Having an international experience makes you stand out. It gives students a competitive advantage. We want all of our students to view study abroad as an opportunity that they have access to, regardless of their demographic.”
Boyd credited Anett and WT’s intentional approach to international studies for securing her opportunity to travel to Japan.
Even though she has never attended class on WT’s Canyon campus, Boyd said she had the same access to programs and funding as an online student as any traditional student has.
“WT stands out because they genuinely care about their students,” she said. “The student support was so personal.”
Boyd completed her CIEE courses in early November, then extended her stay by two weeks to travel throughout the region.
She visited Mount Fuji, the geothermal hot springs in Hakone, and Tokyo, often staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.
“This experience helped boost my confidence,” Boyd said. “It gave me a better sense of independence and a more well-rounded person. I would strongly recommend taking classes abroad.”
Offering intellectually challenging, critically reflective and regionally responsive academic programs, including Study Abroad, is the University’s primary mission, as laid out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign has raised more than $175 million and will continue through 2025.
About West Texas A&M University
A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M University is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The University also is home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men’s and women’s athletics programs.
Photo: Holly Boyd, a junior communication major from Katy, drinks matcha and eats matcha dango in Uji, the matcha capital of Japan, while on a Study Abroad trip to the country. Her trip was made possible in part through a $3,000 Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship from the State Department.
—WT—
AloJapan.com