HWS News
23 February 2026 From Lisbon to Taipei
Colton Lestorti ’27 and Michelle Mangione ’27 earn highly competitive Gilman scholarships to study abroad this spring.
Lisbon means economics courses and ocean air for Colton Lestorti ’27; Taipei means 3-hour Mandarin sessions and neon night markets for Michelle Mangione ’27. They leave this spring to discover new cities and rhythms — with the same highly competitive scholarship opening the door.
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program took months to secure during a year when the scholarship received a record 17,000 applications.
The program helps American undergraduates gain career skills and global networks to further their professional development and the U.S. economy.
Lestorti was awarded a $5,000 Gilman McCain Scholarship for his semester in Lisbon, Portugal; Mangione earned a combined $8,000 in Gilman and Critical Language Scholarship funding for her studies in Taipei, Taiwan, where she will pursue intensive Mandarin language study.
Lestorti, an economics major with a management minor, was drawn to Lisbon where he will have an opportunity to learn from professors at the University Institute of Lisbon and the Nova School of Business and Economics. He will also enjoy surfing at beaches such as Carcavelos and Ericeira.
In high school, Lestorti started surfing through a volunteer program designed to help veterans cope with injuries and mental health issues through surfing. The work introduced Lestorti to one of his passions. “It’s kind of full circle that I’m going to Lisbon now.”
For his studies, Lestorti was awarded multiple scholarships including the Lee Von Seldeneck '91 Study Abroad Scholarship. Through the Gilman Program, he was awarded the Gilman-McCain Scholarship, named after the late Sen. John S McCain from Arizona. It is reserved for children and spousal dependents of active U.S. military personnel; Lestorti’s father served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years.
After his return from Portugal, Lestorti envisions creating a multimedia series to share his experience. “I plan to document much of it through a photo and video series, highlighting different excursions along the way,” he says. “I’m also interested in writing about how gaining a global perspective has influenced the way I think, particularly from an economic standpoint, and how that perspective will support my career moving forward.”
Mangione, an Asian Studies major, will spend the semester in Taipei studying Mandarin. “It is such an incredible opportunity to speak and engage in the language and culture every day,” she says. Her program includes language classes five days a week and an internship with Geber Brand Consulting, a Taiwan-based international strategy and design consultancy. “I’ll help with global initiatives to market to Asian and western audiences and help translating. But I will have a language partner, an NTU student, provided by CET, who will help me with Mandarin, and I will also be able to help with English,” she says.
“Although the schedule may seem grueling to some, I am thrilled to be able to focus on improving my language skills.” Mangione ultimately wants to learn another language as well, maybe Japanese, she says, or Korean.
Mangione started the Gilman application process last summer. In one of three required essays, she explained how she will advocate for international study upon her return to campus by writing of her experience in student publications The Aleph and The Herald, preparing Taiwanese cuisine for HWS’ annual Taste of the World event and sharing her experience with prospective students as tour guide at the HWS Admissions Office.
“I hope I can create a pipeline of future applicants. Ultimately, I want to transform my personal experience into a communal resource,” she says.
Mangione won a supplemental Gilman scholarship, a Critical Need Language Award of $3,000 for studying a language considered of security interest in the U.S., such as Hindi, Russian, Korean, or in Mangione’s case, Mandarin.
Even before arriving at HWS, Mangione knew she wanted to learn a language, and Mandarin stood out. “I started Mandarin my first semester at HWS. There was no question I would continue: I loved my class, the professors and the overall experience,” she says. “I started to pick it up faster and expanded my classes focusing on Asia.”
In 2021, HWS was recognized among the top-producing Gilman scholar institutions nationwide over the previous 20 years. Center for Global Education Director Amy Teel attributes that success to both institutional culture and student initiatives.
“Some institutions simply say to students, ‘Do you want to go abroad? Look into what possibilities are out there.’ Whereas we say, ‘We want you to go abroad: This is part of what we do.’ HWS supports that commitment by making our own HWS financial aid transportable and by offering regular workshops on outside scholarships such as Gilman,” says Teel.
Top: Colton Lestorti ’27 and Michelle Mangione ’27
