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Two University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) students were selected for nationally competitive scholarships that will allow them to study abroad. These extremely competitive scholarships are considered some of the most prestigious merit-based awards in the country.

Abigail Sutherland is Â鶹ÊÓƵ's latest recipient of a scholarship winner. The program grants awards of up to $5,000 for students who demonstrate financial need to fulfill their plans of study abroad in Asia.

"The Freeman-ASIA scholarship is a great opportunity for students interested in Asia,” Dr. Victoria Hightower, assistant director of the Nationally Competitive Scholarships office, said. "For Abigail, Freeman-ASIA gives her the opportunity to fulfill her major requirements while allowing her to build upon the Korean cultural and linguistic knowledge that she has acquired from Â鶹ÊÓƵ. It will open doors for her in the public and private sector, and she will be more competitive for jobs that require cultural knowledge. We are proud of her achievement.”

Sutherland is a junior from Simi Valley, California, pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a concentration in Korean. She will head to Ewha Women's University in Seoul, South Korea. Her interest in South Korea began with its music and has expanded.

For Abigail, Freeman-ASIA gives her the opportunity to fulfill her major requirements while allowing her to build upon the Korean cultural and linguistic knowledge that she has acquired from Â鶹ÊÓƵ. It will open doors for her in the public and private sector, and she will be more competitive for jobs that require cultural knowledge.

Dr. Victoria Hightower

Â鶹ÊÓƵ assistant director of the Nationally Competitive Scholarships office

Providing up to $8,000, the nationally competitive scholarship enables U.S. undergraduate students who are eligible for the Pell Grant to study or intern abroad and gain skills critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

Miranda is a senior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a degree in history with a minor in art history.

She took an upper-level history class through the study abroad program led by Dr. Dave Nelson, a professor of history at . With USG Goes Global, Courses are taught by faculty from across the USG and blend classroom learning with experiential learning as students earn academic credit in another country. 

"Classwork and assignments consisted of on-site lectures held on old ruins or castles we were visiting that day. We had assignments to complete during castle tours and once we did, we had time to explore," Miranda said.

Now back, Miranda plans to apply to the graduate program at Edinburgh.