Two months after applying for the Gilman scholarship, I received the news I had been hoping for: my dream of studying in France was officially within reach.

Funding a study abroad experience is never easy, but with the opportunity to earn nine credit hours toward my French minor, I was determined to apply my language skills outside the classroom. In October 2023, I applied for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship in anticipation of my study abroad program with the UMKC Department of World Languages and Cultures.

The Gilman Scholarship is a national program under the U.S. Department of State designed to support students with limited financial means study or intern abroad. I first learned about the Gilman Scholarship through the Study Abroad and Global Engagement (SAGE) office at UMKC. With encouragement from the Chair of World Languages and Cultures and Associate Professor Gayle Levy Ph.D., and support from fellow students at the UMKC Writing Studio, I submitted my application and project proposal.

The proposal was simple. I would use my experience as a student worker at the UMKC Strategic Marketing and Communications department to document my experience abroad for a campus audience. In December, my application and project proposal were approved, and I could officially begin planning for my seven-week journey in France.

Week 1: Touching Down in Paris

My time abroad started in France’s most famous city, where I spent a week exploring with friends. Since the UMKC program hadn’t begun yet, I rented an Airbnb and set off to discover as much as I could.

For seven days, I wandered and visited the most iconic landmarks, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. I also was able to see The Louvre and the National Assembly from a guided boat tour on the Seine River.

Weeks 2-3: Taking UMKC Classes in Lyon

As classes approached, my fellow UMKC students and I boarded a two-hour train ride heading southeast from Paris to our main destination: Lyon. The former Roman city, and the third-largest city in France, would be our home for the remaining six weeks.

For the first two weeks, I took a French and Francophone Civilization course taught by Levy, which focused on the German occupation of France during World War II and the French Resistance. As part of the immersive learning experience, we visited Lyon’s Resistance and Deportation History Center along with other historic sites connected to the French Resistance.

Weeks 4-7: Studying at Université Lumière Lyon 2

My final weeks were spent at the university in Lyon, where I was taught by native French professors. My courses included French grammar, photography and an analysis of Lyonnais street art. But it wasn’t all coursework! I also participated in weekly excursions to places like Barcelona and southern France.

As part of my Gilman Scholarship project, I documented my study-abroad journey through photography and video, sharing my experiences on UMKC social media channels. I wanted to give others a glimpse into what it was like to study abroad, especially for those who might think it’s financially impractical. 

Now that I am back in the United States, I am looking forward to applying my study-abroad experience to my internship with Alliance Française de Kansas City, a local nonprofit chapter dedicated to French language and culture. This internship is funded by the Mellon Humanities Internship Program at the UMKC School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Hunter Miesner is a senior double majoring in marketing and strategic communication. Upon graduation in 2025, he plans to further his studies to potentially work in data analytics.