BIO

Tommy McCall is a dedicated student at Florida State University hailing from Tallahassee, Florida. Currently pursuing a major in Sport Management, Tommy transferred from Tallahassee Community College, bringing a wealth of diverse experiences to their academic journey. Alongside their major, Tommy is planning to minor in Business, recognizing the importance of a well-rounded education in achieving their goals. Driven by a passion for sports, Tommy aspires to work in marketing for a professional sports team. This ambition is fueled by a desire to combine their love for sports with their skills in business and marketing, making a meaningful impact in the dynamic world of sports management.

"The fear you’ll be the same person when you go home and the fear you won’t": ​A narrative inquiry of first generation in college student recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

Abstract

First-generation college students (FGCS) are consistently underrepresented within education abroad. For FGCS to have the opportunity to study abroad, they often need funding to help pay for their study abroad experience. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship aids FGCS in increasing participation in study abroad, but there is limited research on the experiential outcomes of participating Gilman Scholarship students. Previous research has shown the positive benefits of education abroad for all students and for FGCS more specifically, but understanding a previously overlooked group of people will provide evidence to continue to support FGCS engagement in international education. To identify how the Gilman Scholarship has impacted FGCS, this research utilizes a transformative learning theory framework to better understand FGCS students' experiences during and after their study abroad program. Primary data will be collected using qualitative methods and narrative inquiry. Applying narrative inquiry by interviewing and surveying FGCS who have received the Gilman Scholarship will effectively represent how FGCS understand the transformative nature of their experiences abroad with the Gilman Scholarship program. The findings from this research will aid those in higher education, international education, and policy research, ultimately helping increase long-term support for First-Generation College Students (FGCS) engaging in higher education abroad.

Keywords: Gilman Scholarship, Narrative Inquiry