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Megan Marrero-Castillo earned a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship that she plans to use to study abroad in London. While she is excited about what that opportunity will entail, she also plans to use the experiences she is gaining as a University of North Georgia (̨Íåswag) student to inspire other young people in Puerto Rico to pursue higher education off the small island.

She said she’s excited to mingle with British students, some of whom will be classmates in her British literature and diversity in contemporary music and arts classes. The 20-year-old plans to take her experience back to Puerto Rico — where she spent many of her childhood years — and use it to the betterment of students there. Her classmates in Puerto Rico wouldn't go to college because of costs or fear of leaving the comforts of the island. They didn't know about scholarships and resources available to them.

"What's important is to spread my knowledge and experience of the Gilman scholarship and how it helped me," she said. "I sat in their seats. I never thought this was something I was going to be able to do. I did it on a whim. I did it based on a passion. I would tell them that you have to really want it."

Providing up to $5,000, the Gilman scholarship enables U.S. undergraduate students who are eligible for the Pell grant to study or intern abroad and gain skills critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

Marrero, who is scheduled to graduate in May 2023 with a degree in computer science, aims to pursue a career in either information technology management or software development.