Five current Wabash College students and a 2025 graduate have accepted fellowships to locations in Germany, Spain, France, and Japan.
Rich Brooks ’26 and Jorge Noriega ’26 accepted Gilman Scholarships to study in Germany and Spain, respectively; Quinn Manford ’25 accepted a Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) award; and Benjamin Douglas ’27, Dakota Stacy ’27, and Christopher Wiatr ’27 earned a Freeman-ASIA scholarship to study in Japan.
A German major with minors in Black Studies and economics, Brooks is a two-year letterman on the Wabash basketball team, and a member of the German Club and Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies.
Previously, he made an immersion trip to Heidelberg, Germany, in the Spring of 2024 with his German 202 class.
“The Gilman program helped me out in a huge way, making my out-of-pocket costs very low,” said Brooks, a native of South Bend, Indiana. “Being able to study abroad as a student-athlete does not happen very often. The Gilman program was right for me because it’s giving me a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and at the same time, I can give back to the program by teaching others about it, too. I am very thankful for this, and I cannot wait to land in Germany.”
Brooks will be based in Heidelberg, Germany, during his fellowship.
A biology major with a psychology minor, Noriega serves as vice president of the Crawfordsville to 亚洲通 
Committee and is a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and La Alianza, the Wabash student organization dedicated to celebrating Latin American culture.
“This opportunity opens many doors for me, but more importantly it fills me with confidence to be competitive for future experiences and opportunities like this,” said Noriega, a native of Hammond, Indiana. “I knew I wanted to study abroad, and the experience in Spain could take my native language and push it to another level. This is what motivated me to apply to the Gilman, and with the help of Susan Albrecht, we put together a strong application and were rewarded.”
Noriega will be based in Salamanca, Spain, for his fellowship.
A history and political science double major with a minor in Classics, Manford was a member of the Sphinx Club, the Little Giant soccer team, and Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Previously, he’s traveled abroad to Caen, France, with his French 302 class in 2023 and to Nice, France, with the soccer team in 2024.
“Getting TAPIF feels amazing, as all my French studies and teaching experience finally clicked,” said Manford, a native of Atlanta. “I'm excited about the doors this could open, whether it's working in international policy or education. I love helping people learn and being part of different communities, and the TAPIF seemed perfect because I get to combine teaching with living abroad and diving into another culture.”
Manford will be based in Normandy, France, during his TAPIF assignment.
Douglas, a history major with a minor in Asian Studies, is a Dean’s List honoree and member of Lambda Chi Alpha 
fraternity. He serves as the vice president of the Wabash College Republicans and treasurer of the Asian Culture Club.
“Earning the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship is both an honor and a meaningful step toward my long-term goals,” said Douglas, a native of Cleveland. “It affirms my commitment to cross-cultural understanding, academic excellence, and public service. This opportunity will allow me to study in Tokyo and gain firsthand experience with Japanese culture—something that will enrich my perspective as I prepare for a career in public policy. This scholarship was right for me because it aligns with my values and emphasizes service and global engagement, which reflect both my personal and professional aspirations.”
Currently, he is a congressional staff intern for Representative David Joyce (OH-14) in Washington, D.C.
Douglas will be based in Tokyo, Japan, during the Freeman-ASIA program.
Stacy, a philosophy major with a minor in economics, is a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, the Wabash golf team, and the Stephenson Institute for Classical Liberalism.
“I am humbled to receive this award and am grateful for the care and generosity the Freeman Foundation has extended to aid my desire to learn about and grow in a country I hold in great respect,” said Stacy, a native of Valparaiso, Indiana. “In my journey abroad, I envision that the aid awarded by the foundation along with the wonderful Wabash alumni network will provide me with opportunities to pursue a career connected to Japan post-graduation, and for that I am truly excited and thankful.”
Stacy will be based in Tokyo, Japan, during the Freeman-ASIA program.
Wiatr, an economics major with mathematics and Asian Studies minors, is a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, the 
Wabash swimming and diving team, La Alianza, and the Asian Culture Club. Previously, he traveled abroad to Poland in the Spring of 2024 with his English 109 class.
“Earning this award means that I can experience as much of Japan as I hope to,” said Wiatr, a native of Bartlett, Illinois. “I feel as if this award was right for me because I am a big advocate for study abroad and have helped fraternity brothers learn about the resources available to them and the importance of working ahead on these scholarship essays. I believe studying abroad is essential, especially for those who attend a liberal arts college.”
Wiatr will be based in Tokyo, Japan, during the Freeman-ASIA program.
“This has been an excellent year for our students seeking international experiences,” said Susan Albrecht, Wabash College Fellowship Advisor. “Wabash men have long performed well with the Gilman Scholarship, and it was good to see that trend continue. I love seeing students who are varsity athletes or STEM majors find a way to complete a study abroad experience during their undergraduate years. I am also excited for Quinn to earn a year abroad in France through TAPIF. He will make an outstanding teacher!”
Administered by the Institute of International Education on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and funded by Congress, the purpose of the Gilman International Scholarship program is to encourage participation in study abroad programs for under-represented students, particularly those who are studying in under-represented areas of the world and/or under-represented languages. They are required to complete a follow-on service project that encourages study abroad after their return.
TAPIF offers the opportunity to work in France for seven months, teaching English to French students of all ages. Each year, over 1,500 American citizens and permanent residents teach in public schools across all regions of metropolitan France and in the overseas departments of France like French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion. The American cohort is part of the larger Assistants de langue en France program, which recruits 4,500 young educators from 60 countries to teach 15 languages annually in France.
A Freeman-ASIA Award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc. Like the Gilman Scholarship, Freeman-ASIA Award recipients are required to fulfill a service project based on their initial proposal stated in their applications. These service proposals are the students' own ideas as to how they plan to share their overseas study abroad experiences and promote interest in study abroad in East and Southeast Asia on their college campuses or in their communities.
These six students are among the many Wabash men who have earned highly competitive fellowships in the last dozen years, including the Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Obama Voyager, Yenching, Goldwater, Critical Language, and Point Foundation Flagship Scholarships. Additionally, Wabash students have earned the Center for the Study of Presidency and Congress’ Presidential Fellowship, U.K. Fulbright Summer Institute placement, and NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, to go with 34 Fulbrights and 32 Gilman Scholarships.
A total of 12 Wabash students have earned highly competitive international fellowships this spring.