The seven award winners will each receive funding and support to study, conduct research, or participate in life-changing internships abroad.
Seven Rutgers University–Camden students and alumni have been named 2025 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholars. They will receive funding and support to travel abroad to study, conduct research, or participate in life-changing internships.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Gilman International Scholarship is a highly competitive, merit-based award that provides students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. This is the largest group of Gilman Scholar award winners in the history of Rutgers–Camden, with nearly half of the entire pool of applicants from the university receiving scholarships.
"Having the chance to go beyond the classroom and gain hands-on experience in the real world provides our students with a critical perspective,” said Laura Collins, director of the Rutgers–Camden Office of Scholar Development & Fellowship Advising. “Opportunities like the Gilman Scholarship program are essential to helping our student population see what is possible for them after graduation."
For Nandini Doddi CCAS'25, receiving a Gilman Scholarship will allow her to fulfill a lifelong dream that she was unsure she would accomplish until now.
“Studying abroad was always something I envisioned as a defining part of my undergraduate experience,” said Doddi. “As a transfer student who has navigated three changes in my major, I often had to prioritize graduating efficiently and affordably, and place my dream on hold. The Gilman Scholarship has made this long-held aspiration possible and allowed me to end my college journey with an experience that truly reflects the growth, resilience, and ambition that have defined it.”
Doddi will be one of several Rutgers–Camden representatives who chose to travel to Hungary. Jenna Ahmed, a senior majoring in biology, will also be traveling to Hungary and hopes to learn more about the country's health care system.
“Hungary’s universal health care model intrigues me and caused me to wonder how a similar system might be implemented in the United States,” said Ahmed. “I hope to one day establish a free clinic in which everyone can receive care no matter their financial situation, and this scholarship will give me the career development I need.”
Tiffany Chan, a rising junior pursuing a double major in biology and computational and integrative biology, received both a Gilman Scholarship and a STEM Supplemental Award, which will allow her to travel to the United Kingdom participate in a short-term research project, working alongside leading scientists to explore how neurons communicate and how that communication is disrupted in disease.
“The scientific training and global perspective I will gain from this experience will directly support my long-term goal of becoming a physician-scientist,” said Chan. “I plan to integrate these skills into future research focused on the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, while also applying what I learn to my efforts in expanding access to STEM education.”
As a first-generation high school and college student who has, in her own words, come from a background shaped by hardship, this opportunity means more than just a chance to travel overseas.
“I am especially proud to represent Rutgers University–Camden on an international stage,” said Chan. “I hope my story encourages other students, particularly those from underrepresented or first-generation backgrounds, to pursue global opportunities like the Gilman Scholarship. Where you come from should never define your limits. With the right support and persistence, your voice and perspective can make a difference anywhere in the world.”
Read Rutgers–Camden's announcement for more information on all seven Gilman recipients and their programs of study.
