Four Manhattan College Students Receive Prestigeous Gilman International Scholarships

Manhattan College announced that three of its current students and one recent graduate received the prestigious U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a highly competitive program that enables Pell Grant recipients to study abroad. The Gilman Scholarship provides the ability for students to enhance their skills critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity. Veterans of military service are encouraged to apply.

The Manhattan College recipients are:

• Laenaly Guerrero – a recent graduate of Manhattan College who studied in Singapore during the past winter recess;
• Konstantinos Nalpantidis – a Brooklyn, NY native and an incoming junior at the College, Nalpantidis is an English major with an emphasis in creative writing. During his tenure in Mexico, he will focus on its culinary culture and will seek opportunities to write about that aspect of the country. He is a first-generation college student and a five-year Marine Corps reservist veteran;
• Karolina Ratnikova – originally from Russia, Ratnikova emigrated to the U.S. eight years ago and resides in Brooklyn, NY. A computer engineering major, she will study in Florence, Italy with a focus on Religious Studies. She plans on getting her Master’s degree at Manhattan College with an eventual career in cybersecurity. She is a first- generation college student; and
• Juan Ortiz Soler – originally from Santo Domingo, Soler grew up in the Bronx. He is an incoming senior and an International Studies major with minors in philosophy and religious studies. As a six-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he will study in Morocco.

Each of the students credited Manhattan College in helping them achieve this recognition. Said Soler, “As a veteran, the Veterans Success Program at Manhattan is of incredible value to me. I could not have made it this far without the support of the other vets at the school, and particularly the professors’ guidance.”

Said Dr. Adriane Bilous, Associate Director/Center for Graduate School and Fellowship Advisement, “The Gilman Scholarships serve to broaden a student’s global perspective by studying in a diverse array of geographic areas of the world. We are honored to have Manhattan College students among this elite group of scholars. I know that the experiences they will gain through the scholarships will be life-enhancing.”