Junior Kimikami Miyake, a student leader and top scholar majoring in international political economy and diplomacy, won a federal Gilman International Scholarship in June.It’s a first for UB in winning the scholarship, established in honor of the former House International Relations Committee Chairman Benjamin A. Gilman. Miyake is a student in the International College, headed by Dr. Thomas Ward, its dean.
Miyake, who is from Tarrytown, N.Y., is one of 192 promising students to win the award. He was selected from an applicant pool of 1276.
“We are very proud of Kimikami,” Dr. Ward said. “He has distinguished himself at UB as an outstanding student, having a cumulative grade point average of more than 3.9 (out of 4.0). He has very strong skills in both the social and the natural sciences and is considering a career in education or in public service. Kimikami also has strong leadership skills and is a highly personable and kind individual who is known for being considerate of others.”
“Kimikami has fulfilled numerous leadership roles including the Speaker of the House in UB Student Government,” Dr. Ward said. “He was honored this year by the Office of Student Affairs as the Junior Student of the Year.”
With the scholarship, Miyake plans to spend a whole year at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, studying at their Korean Language Institute, considered one of the leading language programs in Korea. “I intend to focus on studying the language; my goal is to develop a working knowledge of it,” Miyake said.
What else did he have planned, he was asked. “Though my plans may change, I hope to be involved with an international non-governmental organization, where I can contribute in improving the socio-economic situation of the developing world and in improving communication between nations of the North and South,” Miyake said. “But I also have a dream to teach high school or college-age students to help them become more aware of the world around them.”
It’s not the first scholarship for Miyake. “Being born in the States, I lived my entire life in Westchester County, N.Y., studying at Irvington High School before entering UB. I took some years off after high school to do some volunteer work, and with a recommendation from a friend who was attending the school at the time, UB was among my choices. Because of UB’s financial aid package, I chose UB as my school.
Miyake came to the Gilman program with a nudge from Dr. Ward. “It was my desire to study overseas, based on a suggestion given earlier by Dr. Ward,” Mikaye said. “He was an incredible help guiding me toward possible avenues. He eventually suggested the Gilman, and I don’t believe I could have received this award if it wasn’t for his constant support and patience as my advisor.”
Now that he has the Gilman, how does he feel? “Over the years through my involvement in campus life and my studies, I’ve grown to love this school and become more interested in the International College’s IPED major,” he said. “I believe that it was a miracle, a gift from God that I was selected as a Gilman Scholar, among the 15 percent chosen out of the thousand or so who’ve applied nationwide.
This scholarship was created by Congress to allow capable students, who might not otherwise have the opportunity, to study abroad. It was established to honor the commitment of former U.S. Rep. Ben Gilman, chairman emeritus of the House International Relations Committee, to have the U.S. government support U.S. students in studying abroad, mindful that the experience will prepare the U.S. for the international marketplace of the future.
Gilman visited UB last September, receiving an honorary degree and dedicating the Carlson Hall wing of the International College.