David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
A record 24 BYU students qualified for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship in 2020. This prestigious, need-based scholarship makes it possible for students to study internationally to prepare for their desired career. This year’s students will study on nearly every continent, with destinations ranging everywhere from Italy to Ecuador to South Korea.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Gilman scholars will defer their study abroad until next year while others are continuing their studies virtually this fall. Gilman recipient Jordan Chou explained that while he was disappointed to have to adjust his travel plans, he is still looking forward to the learning opportunities ahead. “We will be an entire ‘study abroad’ worth of Arabic better than we would have been, so we will hopefully get a lot more out of the in-country experience than we otherwise would have,” Chou said.
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
BYU was among four universities to receive a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation to study challenges and changes to the public transportation industry in the 21st century. BYU Civil Engineering professor Gregory Macfarlane and his team of students are focusing on the modeling and simulation aspect. Macfarlane hopes to keep public transportation relevant, even as competitors like Uber and Lyft edge in.
“Public transit is one of the only modes of transportation that can sustainably move large amounts of people in dense and growing urban areas,” Macfarlane said. He expressed excitement for BYU Civil Engineering students. “Through our involvement in the center, BYU Civil Engineering students will see first-hand how technical methods like computer simulation interface with social issues like travel behavior and transportation policy.”
Marriott School of Business
MPA student Lillian Bradley is using her passion for service and the skills she’s gaining at BYU Marriott to fight for impoverished nations. Bradley’s main focus in developing a new nonprofit is on housing and advocating for survivors of human trafficking. She was adopted from poverty-stricken Ghana at age 3 and has been passionate from a young age about giving back to her land of origin. “I believe if you become an influential person for good, your influence will be contagious and inspire others around you to do the same,” Bradley said.
The Whitmore Global Management Center is being renamed the Kay and Yvonne Whitmore Global Business Center. Kay, former CEO of Eastman Kodak, and his wife emphasized international relations in their work. “Our new name will help communicate more clearly our mission to help students make an impact in the global business market,” Whitmore Center director Bruce Money said. The Whitmore Center trains BYU students and local businessmen while offering international educational opportunities.
David O. McKay School of Education
Christopher Dromey, McKay School Communication Disorders department chair, was awarded the 2020 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Fellowship of the Association award. Dromey’s 60+ peer-reviewed publications and revolutionary research on speech motor control distinguished him from the crowd, said ASHA’s website. To be nominated for this award, Dromey “must have made outstanding contributions to the discipline of communication sciences and disorders.” Dromey has taught in the McKay School since 2000.
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