Grace Smith

2025 Gilman Scholarship Recipient

Hometown

Avon, IN

Major

Environmental and Ecological Engineering

College

College of Engineering

 

Established in 2001, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is committed to sending American students of limited financial means from all backgrounds to study abroad.

 

If one word could sum up how Grace Smith was awarded the Gilman Scholarship, it might be resilience. Repeatedly, Grace has reframed her life’s challenges into a growing experience from grieving the loss of her father at an early age to stepping into a very public role as president of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers at Purdue. After initially thinking that study abroad was a distant dream, she discovered a faculty-led program that would broaden her understanding of global environmental issues and international collaboration. As an Environmental and Ecological Engineering major, Grace has pursued a specific interest in public health and the environment. As such, she is familiar with stories of families affected by environmental issues here and abroad. Motivated to connect with others and to advocate for sustainable practices, Grace chose to study Water Infrastructure Resilience: Public Health and Extreme Events in the United Kingdom during spring break. “I know that life can be unpredictable,” Grace says, “but I also recognize that navigating the complexities of studying abroad will require the same perseverance that has helped me thrive in the past.”