Jonathan Golden, Wittenberg class of 2024, is one of approximately 1,500 outstanding and diverse American undergraduate students to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship through the U.S. Department of the State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
A double-major in marketing and communication and digital media, Golden, from Weirton, West Virginia, will receive up to $5,000. The scholarship enables recipients who qualify and receive Pell Grants to cover the costs of their higher education and to participate in study abroad programs in more than 80 countries worldwide. The Gilman Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate because of financial constraints. Recipients of the scholarship are American undergraduates attending 452 U.S. colleges and represent 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Golden, currently studying in Germany as part of Wittenberg’s popular Witt in Wittenberg, Germany program, received the scholarship along with an invitation to join a study tour.
“The funding helped me offset the costs of traveling to Germany and cover study-abroad program expenses including tuition,” said Golden, who serves on Wittenberg’s Student Senate as its public relations senator, is a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and is an inductee in Lambda Pi Eta Academic Communication Honor Society.
“I plan to use the scholarship to network with fellow Gilman scholarship winners, learn more through the program regarding cultural understanding, develop critical skills in support of the U.S regarding national security and economic prosperity, and give back to future students studying abroad,” Golden explained. “Wittenberg’s study abroad program serves as a type of enrichment to my educational experience.”
The scholarship broadens the destinations where U.S. students can study and intern abroad in order to build relationships, foster mutual understanding, and represent American culture and values, including in developing countries and countries critical to U.S. national security.
“The Witt in Witt program has been an amazing experience so far,” Golden said. “I have learned a lot about East Germany, the historical significance of Lutherstadt Wittenberg and neighboring cities, the German language, and about international politics. I have enjoyed learning about the grassroots of Wittenberg University, and I believe that it has been a cornerstone of my Wittenberg educational experience.”
Golden was also awarded an opportunity to participate in a study tour titled “Creating the new generation of transatlanticists in the U.S. and Canada,” March 13-15, in Brussels, Belgium. Funded by the European Union and developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program, the study tour brought together approximately 30 current Gilman Scholars with the goal of expanding their understanding of the European Union and its transatlantic relationship with the United States.
“Attendees had a chance to network, engage, and investigate some of today’s most important global challenges and deepen their understanding of the importance of the U.S.-EU relationship,” Golden said. “We explored EU perspectives and commitments to democracy, human rights, and the green economy. We also got to meet with officials from the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the European Council, the European Parliament, the U.S. Mission to the EU, and the Belgium-Luxembourg Fulbright Commission. It was an amazing opportunity to learn more about the United States and European Union. I did not realize the extent of their international roles and purposes before attending, and I feel that this is something I can take and reflect on throughout many aspects of my life.”
After graduation, Golden said he hopes to work in the marketing field within the business-to-business industry.
“Since studying abroad, I would eventually love to find a role with international exposure,” said Golden, who has gained experience in social media marketing, brand marketing, and creative strategy while overseas and in Ohio. In addition to studying abroad, Golden has worked as an outreach and social media intern for the Clark County Historical Society through Wittenberg’s Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement’s internship program, and as a marketing and social media intern for the German-based GKS Lifting and Moving Solutions company, located in Springfield, Ohio. This summer, Golden will be embarking on another internship opportunity with Textron Aviation as a brand marketing associate intern in Wichita, Kansas.
“With these experiences, I feel that I have learned a great amount to propel me into a full-time role,” he said. “I always have room to grow and always challenge myself to take on something different. I hope to use my diverse experiences from projects, activities, and work to manage the next task at hand.”
In looking back, Golden said he had never heard of Wittenberg until his stepmother, Wittenberg alum Hollie (Ramsey) Golden class of 2004, encouraged him to apply.
“She jokingly suggested it as a back-up plan, so I applied, was accepted, and visited the school,” he said. “Once I visited Wittenberg, all the ideas on what I wanted for college changed. The beauty of the campus, the helpful admission counselor, opportunities, and the professors I met sold me on the institution. I think that the devoted students and staff have made the largest impact on me. Whenever I am on campus, I only hear about and see opportunities to get involved. When asking my advisers and professors about an idea, I have been encouraged to participate or find a way to make my visions a reality. I think that this culture is what sets Wittenberg apart from other institutions. I do not think that I would have had opportunities at other schools like I do at my University.”
