Cape Town, Kathmandu and The Hague:
Studying abroad provides eye-opening experiences for two Gilman Scholars
By: Frances Burson
VCU Global Education Office Intern
Email: bursonfa@vcu.edu
Richmond, VA (February 27, 2023) - Virginia Commonwealth University students Donté Jackson and Sofia Simmons, both recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, were able to participate in study abroad experiences that they might not have normally chosen. While Jackson went to study conservation efforts in Nepal through the lens of a camera, Simmons absorbed the culture of both the Netherlands and South Africa through programs focused on global citizenship and history, particularly the effects of colonialism.
The two Gilman Scholars give accounts of their rewarding experiences studying abroad.
From Kathmandu To Chitwan: Conservation Efforts In Nepal
For three weeks Donté Jackson, a senior majoring in environmental sciences in VCU Life Sciences, traveled throughout Nepal from Kathmandu to Pokhara, Ashtam, Marpha, and finally to Chitwan National Park in an effort to study how Nepal has successfully doubled the population of Bengal tigers in the last few years as compared to the surrounding areas. The program focused on how film and photography techniques can aid conservation efforts. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful in seeing any tigers, but did catch a glimpse of a one-horned rhinoceros.
Jackson says his favorite part of the trip was the Himalayan mountains.
“None of the pictures I took gave you the perspective of how big they were, and they were just so beautiful to look at,” he said. “We saw a sunrise and a sunset in Ashtam on top of a mountain and it was so pretty to see the moon come over the backdrop. The mountains turned pink due to the sunset. It’s really surreal.”
This was Jackson’s first trip abroad and he describes it as “life-changing” and “hard to beat.”
He said, “Your daily life can get you bogged down and this trip reminded me never to stop exploring and stay curious.”
He is looking forward to continuing his travels and has plans to take a trip to Amsterdam soon.
Prior to this experience, Jackson says he would never have considered film or photography as career options, but this trip opened his eyes to possibilities. He is unsure about what he wants to do after graduation but plans to explore international opportunities and would like to get his feet wet in environmental sciences through any number of jobs.
From The Hague To Cape Town: Studies Of Global Citizenship and Colonialism
Sofia Simmons is a senior in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs who is dual majoring in criminal justice and homeland security and emergency preparedness. In addition to being awarded the Gilman Scholarship for her trip to South Africa, she also received a scholarship from VCU's TRiO Student Support Services that covered expenses for her trip to The Hague, Netherlands.
During Simmons’ first trip to The Hague in the summer of 2022, she participated in the Keith Sherin Global Leaders Program. This three-week program focused on global citizenship and sustainable development, particularly relating to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations.
The first week of her trip was spent in rural areas of the country where the participants learned about Dutch history and culture. The remaining two weeks were spent at the University of Applied Sciences taking classes and interacting with the migrant population.
Simmons said the trip helped to “really conceptualize how we could be applying the SDGs more purposefully here in the US.”
“There were real efforts countrywide, that the Netherlands was making to recycle more and be more sustainable and responsible to the environment, and it forced me to consider the difference between our countries,” she said.
Simmons’ second trip was to Cape Town, South Africa during the winter break of 2023. For three weeks she studied how colonialism, apartheid and the AIDS epidemic have impacted South Africa’s history. With three hours of classes each day, the participants were left with plenty of time to visit places like Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held and other historical sites.
“Toward the end it felt full circle, ultimately because South Africa was colonized by the Dutch and I didn’t know that before going,” Simmons said.
She was able to tie both experiences together and learned things about South Africa that she didn’t know before.
“I had a lot more preconceived notions about South Africa compared to the Netherlands and in the end, I was surprised about what I learned.”
Simmons says that while neither program was directly related to her majors, they helped solidify what she wants to do in life.
“They helped me to understand better professionally what I was looking for and how to communicate across international and foreign aspects,” she said. “I was able to come back and bring relevance to my program.”
Simmons plans to pursue a master’s degree after graduation in either criminal justice, homeland security, or public policy. She also hasn’t ruled out another study abroad trip in her continuing education.
