Juniors Andre Burnham and Derian De La Torre have been awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships for study abroad this summer. Burnham will attend the Babilonia Language School in Sicily and De La Torre will study in Hamilton’s Associated Colleges in China program in Beijing.
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Hometown: Arlington, Vt.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad.
Such international exchange is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs.
Burnham, a biochemistry & molecular biology major from Arlington, Vt., is a Dean’s List student. He is an organic chemistry teaching assistant and is conducting research on honeybee immunity/productivity, and researching drug design for a honey bee pathogen. Burnham has presented his research for the NY6 consortium.
Burnham breeds, raises and keeps honeybees and sells them and their honey.
At Hamilton he received the Casstevens Scholarship for research and the Dixon-Comstock Scholarship for scholastic ability. He was also nominated for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship (2017).
Burnham is a member of the Hamilton Golf Team, the Italian Club and heads the Hamilton College Beekeeping Club. He has also been involved in designing/running Hamilton’s Beekeeping Orientation Trip.
Also a musician, Burnham has toured North America numerous times, including as part of Justin Bieber’s My World Tour.
De La Torre, an economics concentrator from Brooklyn, will study in Hamilton’s program in New York City during the fall semester. He also recently received a Freeman-ASIA award for his ACC study this summer.
At Hamilton he is employed as Library Information Technology Services AV technician. De La Torre has served a teaching assistant for College Now at Hostos Community College in Brooklyn. On campus he is vice president and former treasurer of Black and Latino Student Union (BLSU) and a member of the Brothers Organization. He has also served as resident advisor for the Higher Education Opportunity Program and a volunteer math coach for Let’s Get Ready in the Bronx.
Major: Economics
High School: Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Gilman program was established through the International Opportunity Act of 2000 and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. It is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
