Hello! My name is Laura López, but please, just call me Laura. I’m 20 years old and grew up in Bogotá, Colombia. I spent my childhood and teenage years surrounded by the beauty, mystery, and richness of Colombian culture. One of my happiest places was my family’s house outside the capital, where any stress I carried seemed to simply melt away.
For college, I left Colombia and moved to Virginia, United States, to study International Security at George Mason University. Leaving the home of my heart meant building a new one abroad. Since high school, I’ve been deeply passionate about philosophy, the timeless question of where we come from and where we are going. My studies have given me an incredible space to explore, reflect, and challenge those questions even more.
I believe traveling is one of the best ways to truly understand the world, not only through places, but through people, and most importantly, through ourselves. That belief inspired me to apply for the Gilman Scholarship, with the dream of studying in France, a country that has been home to many great thinkers whose ideas have shaped the way I see the world. I’m excited to share with you my experiences here, the small details that make life feel both grateful and alive.
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
