Over the past few months, students of the College of Fine Arts have represented the FSU London study program. Between Interior Design, BFA Theatre, and the Asolo Conservatory, our students have gained well-rounded experience this summer.
Interior design
“Our History of Interiors Summer London program is off to a fantastic start! The Interior Design students toured the magnificent 18th-century Chiswick House and Gardens. We were awed by the dramatic design of ceilings and intensely colored wallcoverings. And our tour guide, Susie, made us weep over a sad story of the Countess of Burlington and her daughter, Lady Dorothy Boyle. Interior design students are having afternoon refreshments and chatting in the recently opened 2023 Serpentine Pavilion designed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, London, Kensington Gardens. The Pavilion, titled À table—a French invitation to sit together, share a meal, and talk—was inspired by togunas, West African community structures, and features long tables and stools along its perimeter, inviting everyone to join.
Representing the BFA Theatre program, FSU student Nicolas Florez-Ortiz has been awarded through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Over the summer, he spent his time studying in London and engaging in theatre abroad.
The Gilman Scholarship is awarded by the U.S. Department of State and gives students the opportunity to study or intern in foreign countries with the aim of building proficiency in diverse languages and cultures and preparing individuals for a globalized world.
The Gilman allows participants to tailor the program toward their education and interests, said Jesse Wieland, associate director of the Office of National Fellowships.
“What makes the Gilman Scholarship such a fantastic award is its degree of malleability,” Weiland said. “Students can apply their funding toward research opportunities, traditional study and classroom-based experiences, or internships. FSU’s robust network of international opportunities makes it significantly easier for students to find programs that align with their academic or professional aspirations.”
The Gilman Scholarship program was founded in 2001 and is named after the late Benjamin Gilman, who served for 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and chaired its House Foreign Relations Committee.