OU students receive travel awards for summer trips

The awards were made possible by a $25,000 endowment from the Michigan Council of Hosteling International USA. 

Oakland’s Pearsall Award recipients are: 

• Daphne Bugelli for travel to Paris, Ireland, Spain, France and Italy; 
• Gillian Cooper for travel to London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris and Rome; 
• Garrett Smigelski for travel to Spain; 
• Qaida Wardia for travel to Chicago. 

 
The awards are designed to encourage independent student projects on a national and international scale by utilizing the resources of Hostelling International. 

 
“American students don’t think immediately about using hostels during their travels, unlike Europeans or Canadians or Australians,” said Prof. Brian Connery, director of the Oakland’s Office of International Education. “These awards direct our students’ attention to hostels and help them economize even more so that they have more money available for museum and event admissions. Additionally, hostels also provide a rich international social and cultural experience, which is not available in hotels.” 

Hostelling International offers clean, safe, and low-cost accommodations for travelers of any age around the globe. Travelers have a choice of staying in dormitories or private rooms. Most hostels also offer social environments where travelers share their cultures and exchange information about their native lands and experiences.

“We are hugely grateful to the Michigan Council for this endowment,” Connery said. “It will do so many good things for so many of our students.”

To be considered for the award, an Oakland student must be a member of Hostelling International USA (hiusa.org) and have a GPA of 2.8 or higher. Applicants must submit a proposal that outlines travel plans and the educational benefits of the travel.
Application deadlines are April 1 and October 1. Forms and details are available on the International Education website oakland.edu/ie. 

To learn more about programs and opportunities to study abroad, visit the International Education website or the International Education Facebook page. To schedule an advising appointment, contact Shirley Campbell at 248-370-2889.

Oakland University is a vibrant academic community with nearly 20,000 students and more than 260 degree and certificate programs. To learn more about academics, achievements, and events at OU, visit the news site at oakland.edu/newsatou and follow the news team on Twitter at @OaklandU_News.