Savannah State junior headed to Ghana after winning prestigious Gilman Scholarship

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah State University junior Zyriah Garden has been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, helping fund her study abroad and service-learning mission in Ghana, West Africa.

Garden, a business marketing major, received the $2,500 scholarship through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program supports students with financial need who are pursuing international education opportunities.

Garden began the month-long trip on May 10 alongside five other SSU students and two faculty members.

The group is spending part of the trip in Nakpanduri, Ghana, partnering with the Network for Global Missions on projects centered around sustainable development and youth empowerment.

One of the group’s major initiatives focuses on addressing “period poverty” among young women in the region. SSU students collected more than 350 handheld sewing machines to distribute, helping provide sustainable resources and support.

“I am incredibly excited and grateful to have received the Gilman scholarship that made my study abroad trip to Ghana possible,” Garden said in a statement.

SSU officials praised Garden for earning the nationally competitive scholarship and representing the university abroad.

The delegation will remain in Ghana through June 5 while participating in cultural exchange and educational support programs.