By Tom Holm, International Programs
Washington State University student Nick DiPietro has always been mesmerized by the big fauna of Africa and last fall got to interact with the animals in Tanzania.
One of five Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship awardees at WSU in 2024, DiPietro chose to study predators like hyenas, leopards, and genets thanks to the annual award created by the U.S. Department of State that grants undergraduates the opportunity to study abroad.
“The magic of the animals in that country is truly incredible,” he said. “These are like the movie stars of the animal world.”
DiPietro, a student in the School of the Environment in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the first two months of his trip were spent doing coursework and studying baboon behavior with the School of Field Studies in Rhotia, Arusha, Tanzania. In the latter half of the program, DiPietro began studying camera trap data of smaller predators that occupy the middle echelons of the food web, below more iconic big predators such as lions. Despite his short time working in Tanzania, DiPietro was able to draw some conclusions that human activity was pushing these smaller predators to be more nocturnal and creating more competition for food. Hyenas are already known to prey on livestock in Tanzania, much to the bane of farmers in the area.
“We did talk to local people and the hyenas were universally hated,” he said. “This problem might be getting worse over time as we continue to push hyenas to be active at night.”
He said the research project cemented his focus on international wildlife conservation as a future career.
International Programs Global Learning Advisor Cara Welch helped DiPietro select a study abroad program in Tanzania. She advises all Gilman applicants to be intentional about what program they choose so it helps them achieve their individual goals.
“When we approach studying abroad with purpose, chances are that our experience will be more genuinely immersive because we’re more engaged, with culture at large and, especially, with people,” she said. “That is what makes study abroad such a transformative experience.”
Any undergraduate student receiving a Federal Pell Grant can apply for a Gilman scholarship. Gilman awardees receive up to a $5,000 scholarship and travel abroad to a destination of their choice. Nearly 3,000 scholarships were awarded this academic year. A similar program is available to active military personnel through the John S. McCain (Gilman-McCain) International Scholarship for Military Families. Six undergraduate students received Gilman awards during the most recent application round and Cougs are headed to Finland, Ireland, France, Japan, and Costa Rica in 2025. The scholarship defrays the cost sometimes involved in a study abroad program.
DiPietro said the cultural experiences in Africa gave him new perspectives that he wants to bring back with him to Pullman. He also picked up some basic Swahili while abroad and was intrigued by an outlook called “pole, pole.” It’s a Swahili phrase that directly translates to “slowly, slowly,” but refers more to pacing one’s attitude than actual locomotion.
“It’s more of slang like, ‘chillax,’” DiPietro said. “It’s more about slowing down a bit. Talking with your neighbor, walking to your store, cooking with fresh food … that’s a mindset that I hope to preserve back home.”
Below are a list of recent Gilman scholarship recipients:
2025 recipients
- Meredith Sanders, Marketing major
Spring semester at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland - Alainn Fitzgerald, Psychology major
Spring semester internship in Ireland with AIFS - Claire Claeson, French major
Spring semester at L’université catholique de Lyon in France - Lika Tanaka, Digital Technology and Culture (DTC) major
Summer term in Japan with CIEE - Natalie Bjerke, Zoology major
Summer term in Costa Rica on Faculty-Led program with WSU Animal Sciences faculty - Faith Carr, Marketing major and Interior Design minor
Summer term in France on Faculty-Led program with WSU Interior Design faculty
2024 recipients
- Breanne Towers, Integrated Strategic Communications major
Summer 2024 term in Greece on Faculty-Led program with WSU Murrow College faculty - Abi Jaimes Martinez, Psychology major
Summer 2024 term in Spain on Faculty-Led program with WSU First Generation Abroad program - Nicolas DiPietro, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation major
Fall 2024 semester in Tanzania with SFS - Kamrynn Eddy, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation major
Winter Break 2024 in Antarctica on Faculty-Led program led by WSU School of the Environment faculty - Nora Johnson, Apparel Merchandising Design and Textiles (AMDT) major
Spring semester at the Paris College of Art in France - Brennan Miller
Awarded a scholarship but ultimately declined