ACT Study Abroad student Elijah Greene shares his study abroad experience as a Gilman Scholar and his love for the Ancient Greek language
Elijah Greene, a junior at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, embodies the essence of a modern-day explorer. His passion for languages, culture, and global connectivity has propelled him to be awarded the Gilman Scholarship, which is funded by the United States government. Elijah also received a Federal Pell Grant to support his study-abroad experiences in Greece and the ACT.
Studying abroad has been Elijah's dream since high school. He chose Greece for his study abroad experience, as he felt culturally and religiously connected to Greece, and he desired to understand the heritage of Greek people. One of Elijah's big goals was to learn the Greek language, as he has been studying ancient Greek for two and a half years. "My love of language has rekindled since coming here, and I've enjoyed learning as much Greek as I can.", he says. Moreover, Elijah aspires to pursue a Fulbright Critical Language Enhancement award in the future to cultivate language proficiency in a language at risk of disappearing.
I think Greece held a lot of surprises that I wasn't expecting, especially in terms of the people that I was going to college with. I don't think I realized how many people from other countries come to ACT to study… I've met people from Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, and people from the group I am supposed to be part of (USA), making long-lasting friendships that, hopefully, we will carry back across the Atlantic
Elijah's award extends beyond financial assistance; it encompasses opportunities for networking, personal growth, introspection, and global engagement. Funded by the US government, Elijah joined a study tour to Brussels, Belgium, which helped him understand how the European Union operates and the current relationship between the EU and the US. It also fostered his sense of global community.
"I'm grateful that I was able to come to Greece and have the opportunity to explore and visit some countries that I may not get to visit again for a while. It has been an invaluable time in my life," he says.
Elijah desires to continue immersing himself in different cultures: "I would say that I want to be a lifelong traveler. I want to know how other people live outside of where I'm from. I think that's valuable; it makes you more empathetic and just well-rounded as a person. Understanding different cultures and political ideologies, and seeing how other people live, expands your worldview and gives you more information to work with."
Outside of his academic pursuits, Elijah works as a photo editor and event photographer for Wabash College. His love for cinema, literature, and chess enriches his leisure time. Looking ahead, Elijah plans to intern at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland, Washington DC, working on marine biology research. He also envisions a future shaped by his passion for traveling and photojournalism.
