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DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University senior Bolu Ogunye of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, has been awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study French language and culture at Les Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne in Paris.
"One of my goals for the future is to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) studying the role of social determinants in all areas of health care," said Ogunye, a Health and Human Kinetics and French double major. "I am interested in how these determinants disproportionately affect groups and how these determinants and their effects differ between first- and third-world countries. …
"I plan to utilize my knowledge and experiences in the health sciences and humanities to find ways to foster better relationships between countries regarding health fields and disproportionately affected groups," said Ogunye, who plans to pursue a global health master's degree with a specialization in epidemiology after earning her OWU undergraduate degree.
Ogunye is one of approximately 2,100 students to earn a highly competitive Gilman Scholarship this spring out of nearly 10,000 applicants.
While in France, Ogunye also is pursuing volunteer and internship opportunities to help "assess the cultural differences between the experiences of different French Black immigrant diaspora groups" as she works to increase her "understanding and awareness of the French culture when relating with citizens of France and the United States, all while attempting to foster a better understanding between the two vastly different countries and their cultures surrounding societies and their medical and health care practices."
Ogunye will graduate from Ohio Wesleyan in July after finishing her time in France and then plans to become an active alumna, sharing her Gilman Scholarship lessons with OWU students still pursuing their bachelor's degrees. Her efforts will include creating short TikTok videos to inform and engage her peers – especially minority, women, and STEM students.
"[A]s a Black woman in science, there are many hurdles that I have had to overcome and face regarding pursuing a future in the health sciences and planning to be abroad … but have continued to push through these challenges because I know my ultimate goals would change the realities of future women who may be in similar situations to mine," Ogunye said.
Since the Gilman International Scholarship Program was established in 2001, over 1,300 U.S. institutions, including Ohio Wesleyan, have sent more than 41,000 Gilman Scholars to study in over 160 countries around the globe. The scholarships seek to foster mutual understanding between peoples of the United States and other countries. Learn more at www.gilmanscholarship.org.
Learn more about studying Health and Human Kinetics or more than 80 other fields at Ohio Wesleyan at owu.edu/HHK or owu.edu/majors.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.