ACC student Jai'mie Terry will spend the school year studying in China.

For many students, back to school means new classes or even a new campus. For Austin Community College student Jai’mie Terry, it means a new continent.

Terry will study in China as part of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which provides awards to undergraduate Pell Grant recipients to study abroad. She is the first ACC student to receive the prestigious scholarship.

Terry first became interested in Asian culture in middle school, when she was friends with a girl from Beijing. Now, that middle school interest has emerged into an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It still doesn’t seem real to me, that I’m actually going to be living in China,” Terry says. “I’ve never been out of the country before, so even boarding the plane seems like a big deal.”

Terry will be in China until around the end of June. During her time there, she will attend Guangxi University, located in the city of Guilin. She plans to take humanity and Chinese language courses.

“I’m hoping this experience will make me a more well-rounded and independent person,” Terry says. “My family is really excited for me. And everybody at ACC has been so supportive.”

To learn more about studying abroad, visit austincc.edu/intstudy.