A record 20 students across Rutgers University have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which empowers students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, fostering mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. 

This milestone highlights Rutgers’ growing commitment to global education and access for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs.

When Illia Kholiavin fled his war-torn Ukrainian hometown of Mariupol in 2022, he left behind the only life he’d ever known. After relocating first to Poland and then Sparta, N.J., with his mother and grandmother, he committed himself to learning English and finishing school. “What we experienced was brutal. It changed something in us,” he said. “You really understand that life is not infinite. You need to do something in your life before it ends.” On May 16, Kholiavin was inducted into Rutgers University’s prestigious Matthew Leydt Society along with 234 of his peers who ranked in the top 2% of Rutgers University-New Brunswick's and Rutgers Health's graduating Class of 2025.

Rutgers delegation fostered academic alliances and strengthened alumni engagement during March visit

In a major step to bolster its global visibility, an institution-wide delegation from Rutgers University visited India in March 2025. The visit marked a strategic push to deepen Rutgers’ engagement with India’s vibrant academic and innovation ecosystem through the exploration of new partnerships, research initiatives, and student mobility programs.