Danielle DiNafo, a junior cybersecurity and digital forensics major, has received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
The award will support her participation in the Global Business Project seminar, a course taught by Professor Thomas Dodds, which includes an experiential learning opportunity in Ireland during spring break.
The seminar is a semester-long, project-based course during which students engage in consulting activity with partner organizations in Dublin. The class is divided into two teams, with DiNafo’s group assigned to Nafasi, a global social enterprise that supports African entrepreneurs through funding and mentorship.
The goal of the team is to build a functional prototype of a donation and entrepreneur onboarding platform that enables transparent tracking of donations from donor to entrepreneur and reported fund usage.
Before traveling, the 13 students in the class will meet virtually with their assigned company to learn about the project, gather information, and begin developing a plan of action.
While abroad, the students will:
After returning, each team continues developing its project and delivers final recommendations directly to company leaders before the semester ends.
“As a first-generation college student, studying abroad once felt both intimidating and out of reach, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement from my community that made this opportunity possible,” said DiNafo. “I’m eager to begin my study abroad journey and thankful for the chance to give back through this program.”
She is looking forward to making professional connections and gaining international experience that will make her competitive in the job market when she graduates.
According to Victor Betancourt, associate provost for global engagement, “The Gilman Scholarship, funded by the U.S. Department of State, is one of the nation’s most prestigious study abroad awards. The applicant pool is exceptionally competitive, and Danielle’s selection is a remarkable achievement. She is the first Neumann student ever to receive this honor, setting a milestone for our university community.”
Since the inception of the Gilman Program in 2001, more than 180,000 applications have been received and over50,000 merit-based scholarships have been awarded to American students participating in study abroad programs and internships around the world.
According to the Gilman Program website, “These opportunities equip Gilman Scholars with international experience, global networks, and foreign language skills essential to advancing U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.”
The program is congressionally funded and named after the late congressman Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY). With his support, the program was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. In 2003, Congressman Gilman retired after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the Committee on International Relations.