Josephine Martinez, class of 2010, spent the fall of her junior year studying in Prague under a Gilman International Scholarship. Since the inception of the program in 2001, nearly 20,000 students have applied, with less than 5,000 of them awarded scholarships to participate in study abroad programs. According to Gilman’s Web site, the scholarship program seeks to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go.
She spent summers in her native New York City interning with numerous organizations, including Penguin Group and USA’s Putnam and Riverhead imprints in publicity, and with Major League Baseball’s Office of the Commissioner in the Diverse Business Partners program.
Following graduation, Martinez will participate in the National Football League's highly sought after Junior Rotational Program; she was selected for one of the program's 10 spots out of a field of more than 2,000. Although the sports industry has traditional been male-dominated, she says she’s optimistic about the opportunities that await her.
During her college career, Martinez says, “I aggressively sought ways to fuse what I was learning in the classroom with real-world experience. With the will to succeed, when given opportunity any person can achieve their endless aptitude.”