WKU News

Gaining global perspective for her future goals, Morgan Hicks is looking forward to spending her summer in London and Amsterdam. A nursing major originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, Hicks is hoping to bring her love of travel and her passion for nursing to her study abroad experience. 

Before applying for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a scholarship offering funding for study abroad experiences for Pell Grant eligible students, Hicks was unsure if studying abroad could fit into her undergraduate life and studies. She wrote, “As a first-generation student, I always knew that I loved traveling and loved the idea of studying abroad; it just never felt like an attainable goal during my undergraduate experience.”

As a nursing major, she knew that her academically rigorous semesters would make it difficult to be away for a full semester, but she soon found resources to help make studying abroad feasible even for her program. The Mahurin Honors College and the Office of Scholar Development (OSD) proved to be important parts of this process.

Hicks explained, “The staff in OSD and the Mahurin Honors College have changed my perspective on what I could be able to accomplish here on the Hill; while ensuring I do not have to put my academics on hold…From picking a program, to applying, to now searching for funding, I do not think my study abroad experience would be as impactful without the MHC.”

Awarded with the Gilman Scholarship earlier this year, Hicks expressed how applying for this scholarship transformed her confidence in being able to study outside of the United States.”The Gilman scholarship has allowed me to have a peace of mind about studying abroad financially,” she stated.

Hicks was also encouraged to seek out opportunities like the Gilman Scholarship from her participation in the Catalyst Cohort, a pilot program offered in the 2024-2025 academic year. She explained, “This [Catalyst Cohort] really opened my eyes to the possibility of going abroad in my four years on the Hill, and what it would realistically look like.”

With her growing sense of confidence in studying abroad being a reality, Hicks was able to select the CIEE Summer Comparative Public Health Program for her study abroad experience. 

But this trip is not just a chance to experience more of the world; it is also a chance for Hicks to broaden her understanding of healthcare. When speaking about her selection of her chosen program, Hicks discussed her connection to the coursework by stating, “I was intrigued by the fact that I would be able to go to two different places in a short amount of time—2 months total, 1 month in each location—while being able to compare public health of London and Amsterdam to that of the United States.”

This global perspective will be vital to her post-graduate life, as Hicks plans to continue her education to become a registered nurse. Hicks explained that her professional goals of serving underserved communities will only be enriched by exploring other cultures. She shared, “I aspire to work with underprivileged and rural communities who oftentimes lack resources due to various social determinants of health and different socioeconomic status'. After completing my abroad experience, I am so excited to utilize what I have learned abroad in my clinicals and post-grad as a Registered Nurse.”

With the Gilman Scholarship creating current and future opportunities for Hicks, she shared advice to fellow students wanting to apply to the scholarship or study abroad. Hicks wrote, “For other students wanting to study abroad, I would tell them to take advantage of every resource on the Hill and in surrounding communities to be able to do so comfortably. There are so many resources and people that are here to help.” By looking to the WKU and MHC communities, Hicks is on her way to gaining valuable international experience, and she hopes that more students can do the same.