School of Nursing & Health Studies Assistant Dean Selected for Gilman Advisor Ambassadors Program

November 19, 2021 – Brian Floyd, assistant dean of student academic affairs at the School of Nursing & Health Studies, was selected to serve among the first-ever group of Benjamin A. Gilman International Program Advisor Ambassadors.

The ambassadors operate as a part of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, a U.S. Department of State endeavor that supports “students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.” 

For more than 10 years, Floyd has worked with the scholars program, which the Institute of International Education runs. It is a part of the State Department’s Bureau of Cultural and Education Affairs.

“As an advocate for international education and study abroad and in an increasingly globalized world, I am thrilled to be a part of this inaugural cohort that will play a crucial role at their institution and beyond to encourage more young people from traditionally underrepresented groups to study overseas,” Floyd said about his two-year appointment.

‘A Tremendous Accomplishment’

Heidi Manley, chief of USA Study Abroad at the U.S. Department of State, said the program “looks forward to working with Dean Floyd as an inaugural member” of the effort. He will serve with 19 other “higher education professionals from across the United States and will represent and advise the Gilman Program throughout his ambassadorship.”

Manley highlighted the productive relationship the program has had with Georgetown, one that has flourished for 20 years and supported more than 150 Hoya student-scholars, which she called “a tremendous accomplishment.” (Visit the Gilman program’s “20-Year Impact Study.”)

“We are thankful for our 20-year partnership with Georgetown and our joint efforts to make study abroad more accessible for American students,” she said, noting Georgetown was named a “top producer.” 

‘Embodies the Mission’

Through the Gilman program, Floyd – also an Engelhard Faculty Fellow on campus – has reviewed national scholarship applications and is a certifying advisor, serving as an expert resource on Georgetown study abroad policies and in the evaluation of credits earned abroad. At Georgetown, he advises students at NHS who wish to study globally.

Craig Rinker, director of the Office of Global Education (OGE) on campus, praised Floyd for his participation in the office’s Program and Policy Committee, during a Family Weekend panel, and on an application subcommittee.

“Brian is a dedicated leader who embodies the mission and at the heart of global education at Georgetown,” Rinker said. “[His] contributions have been invaluable in serving the students of Georgetown University. I am confident he will be a great asset in promoting international education and the [Gilman program] as a means to expand global opportunities for students.”

Supporting Students

Floyd, who was recently honored with a Georgetown University Faculty/Staff Career Champion Award, said he is looking forward to collaborating “with others to create equitable access to the benefits of global education by empowering educators, engaging stakeholders, and connecting diverse underrepresented students to needed resources and various types of academic or experiential learning abroad opportunities.”

In his ambassador position, he now will be a Gilman Scholarship spokesperson, amplifying both the scholarship opportunity itself and the broader study abroad experience. He added that this work builds upon his academic interests in health education and equity, justice, and policy.

“While access to international education is important for all students, it is critical for underrepresented students not only because it contributes to expanding and diversifying the U.S. study abroad population, but also because it prepares this next generation of leaders with the skills and connections needed to work across borders to address our world’s most pressing issues,” said Floyd.

By Bill Cessato with deep gratitude to Brian Floyd for his work on information for this story.