Pitzer Gilman Scholars Explore New Countries

Pitzer College students become global citizens by crossing cultures and social boundaries. One way they do so is through Pitzer’s multitude of study abroad opportunities. The U.S. Department of State awarded scholarships to three students participating in Pitzer programs in Italy, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides up to $5,000 in merit-based scholarships to undergraduate students to pursue academic studies and career-oriented internships abroad. It is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Pitzer’s direct-run study abroad programs immerse students in intensive language learning, homestays with local families, independent study projects, and study trips to world-famous locales. By choosing the Pitzer-run programs, this year’s Gilman Scholars are pursuing cultural enrichment that goes far deeper than the tourist experience.

Meet Pitzer’s 2026 Gilman Scholars

Living out Pitzer’s core value of intercultural understanding, these Pitzer students are expanding their worldviews and bonding with different peoples and countries.  

Natalie Ascorra ’28  

Ascorra, a political studies and sociology major, will study abroad in Italy in fall 2026. While participating in the Pitzer in Italy program in Parma, Italy, Ascorra will gain an interdisciplinary overview of Italian history, politics, culture, religion, and contemporary issues. From study trips to language learning to host family stays, she will connect her personal and field-based experiences with academic concepts related to culture and change in Italy.

Janae Dannica Garcia ’28

Garcia, a neuroscience major, studied abroad in the Pitzer in Costa Rica Summer Health program for summer 2026. She took intensive Spanish language courses and a seminar on health and healthcare in Costa Rica, while also engaging in family stays. Garcia explored healthcare in Central America while gaining an understanding of Costa Rica’s life and culture. The program is organized in collaboration with the Institute for Central American Development Studies.

Leslie Valois ’27

Valois, a Chicanx Latinx studies and psychology major with a minor in Spanish, will study abroad with the Pitzer in Ecuador program in fall 2026. This program provides a dynamic setting for studying the Ecuadorian economic, political, cultural, and environmental reality. It is affiliated with the Academia Latinoamericana de Español and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, considered the top university in the country. Valois will engage in Spanish language courses and work with community partners while staying with a family in Quito. Her study trips include the Galápagos Islands and San Clemente, which is home to an indigenous Quechua community.