Hannah Nabors First Coastal Student to Receive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

For the first time in its history, a Coastal Alabama Community College student has been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. In just her second semester at the college, Hannah Nabors was recently named a recipient of the scholarship, which supports students who need financial support to study abroad.

Nabors, who is pursuing a degree in Event Planning and Hospitality Management at the Gulf Shores campus, will be traveling to Italy in May with sixteen classmates for a credit-bearing program to study hospitality and communications. After graduation, the Mobile native plans on a career in wedding planning.

“I feel very gracious and proud to be given the opportunity to study abroad and expand my knowledge,” Nabors said. “I've always wanted to experience other cultures and ways of life because it helps to open people's minds and help them grow and that's what I hope to get from this experience.”

The Gilman Scholarship is funded by the U.S. Congress and intended to encourage outstanding undergraduate students “to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions.” There are more than 1,500 Gilman Scholars nationally, who have received scholarships of up to $4,000 each.

According to Hospitality/Event Planning Instructor Elizabeth Boehm — who teaches Nabors and will be leading the Italy trip alongside Speech Instructor Kelly Kendall — Hannah is exactly the type of student intended to be a Gilman Scholar.

“Hannah was on the President’s List last semester, so she is really focused on all of her classes and never misses a class,” Boehm said. “She’s a great student.”