UPDATED OCTOBER 2015:

Read about Gerlins' experience in Jordan on the Beaver blog. 

 

 

This year, 26 students applied for the Alex Cohn Grant. The proposals were so professional, creative, and varied that it took the Alex Cohn Grant Committee more than a month to come to a decision.

 

There were many proposals that dealt with studies abroad – trips to Mexico, Jordan, Brazil, Ghana, and parts of Europe to explore heritage. We also heard from a student who wanted to found a non-profit charity organization for the disabled, while another student hoped to help the homeless through creative jacket engineering. There were lots of artists – aspiring cartoonists, photographers, filmmakers, and singer-songwriters. We heard from filmmakers, squash players, jewelry makers, scuba divers, skateboarders, and a pair of students who proposed to launch a stuffed beaver into space.

 

Yes, you read that correctly - launch a stuffed beaver into space.

 

The bottom line is we couldn't be more proud of the submissions we received.

 

In the end, after arduous, snow-delayed deliberation, the committee decided on Gerlins Marcano '16.

 

Gerlins is a junior whose major passion is languages. More or less fluent in three languages already, he is aspiring to learn a fourth through the Cohn Grant. Barring any political developments that make it unsafe, he will travel to Amman, Jordan, to live in a language school for six weeks studying Arabic while taking photographs of the culture and interviewing Jordanian citizens on their lives. 

 

Congratulations, Gerlins.

 

We’re looking forward to following your journey!