Announcement of Verrazano Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients

The Verrazano School is pleased to announce the Spring 2012 Verrazano Study Abroad Scholarship recipients.  Joanna Irizarry-Zaraza, Alicia Jimenez, and Mark Kavanaugh have been awarded scholarships to help support their study abroad experiences in China, France, and Spain during the upcoming summer.  These students will pursue language and cultural studies related to their areas of interest and come back having gained valuable experience and memories to last a lifetime.



Alicia Jimenez, Mark Kavanaugh, and Joanna Irizarry-Zaraza



Joanna Irizarry-Zaraza, Class of 2013, is pursuing a Psychology BA with minors in Chinese and Disability Studies.  She will be spending the summer traveling to various cities in China on a program through Brooklyn College.  Joanna is thrilled about her upcoming experience, saying “I have been dreaming about going to China for many years now but I would use every excuse there was,  such as I can't afford this trip, I don't have enough support, or I'm too scared. Luckily for me I received a scholarship from The Verrazano School that will pay for the entire program, tuition and my flight to China. Thank you Verrazano for eliminating two of my excuses; you have supported me financially and emotionally as well.  Although I am still very nervous to fly on my own and leave my loved ones for one month, for the first time in my life, I am more composed and courageous in having my dream come true!”

Alicia Jimenez, an English Literature major in the Class of 2013, will be participating in a program through Queens College titled “Paris, A Literary Adventure.”  This program is a perfect fit with Alicia’s major, and she can’t wait to explore the winding streets and soak in the Parisian culture during her studies.  Simply put, Alicia is “ incredibly excited for Paris this summer!"

Mark Kavanaugh, Class of 2013, is an English Literature major with a minor in Spanish.  Mark will be spending his summer in Santander, Spain with a program offered through CSI.  Mark has spent many hours outside of the classroom practicing his language skills with Professor Sarah Pollack, and upon learning of his scholarship he commented that, "I'm absolutely thrilled to be studying in Spain, a country with a rich and varied culture. It absolutely could not have been possible without the Verrazano Study Abroad Scholarship and I'm very grateful."

All three of these scholarship recipients are active members of the Verrazano community and the broader CSI community and will serve as wonderful ambassadors for study abroad while they are away and after they are back on campus.  Joanna, Alicia, and Mark will be posting blog entries about their experiences before they leave, while they are abroad, and upon their return.  We look forward to hearing more from these students!

Funds are available through an application process help support for Verrazano student participation in study abroad programs.  The deadlines to apply for a Verrazano Study Abroad Scholarship are October 1 for winter and spring study abroad and March 1 for summer and fall study abroad.  Awards range from $1000-$5000, and through the scholarship application process, students are encouraged to clearly identify how the proposed study abroad experience supports the pursuit and achievement of their academic and professional goals and how the program would benefit their academic and personal growth.

For more information about the scholarship opportunity, please visit: http://www.csi.cuny.edu/verrazanoschool/study_abroad.html.