Photo above: Calysa McManus on left and Elle Otto on right.

AMES, Iowa — Two Iowa State University College of Design students have received the highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State for 2024-2025. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate Pell Grant recipients who plan to intern or study abroad. 

Calysa McManus, a senior in community and regional planning from Altoona, and Elle Otto, a fourth-year architecture student from Sanborn, are among 13 Iowa State students who were awarded Gilman Scholarships this year.

Calysa McManus

McManus is studying at the American College of Greece in Athens this semester.  

She says Greece, where the first grid-based city layout was created, has been the perfect venue to continue her studies in urban design and community development. 

“Greece has such a rich history when it comes to urban planning,” McManus said. “Being able to study the successes and challenges Athens faces in managing tourism, transportation and urban renewal will only push me closer to my professional goals.” 

Elle Otto

Otto is currently in Italy with the College of Design’s Rome Program. The semester-long study abroad program provides students with an opportunity to learn about historic art, architecture and cultural sites and design practices while living in Italy. 

Otto says the opportunity is essential to her academic and professional aspirations, as she hopes to become a licensed architect and own her own firm in the future. 

“A well-rounded architect must be able to engage with diverse historical contexts, architectural styles, and construction techniques,” Otto said. “Having exposure to Rome’s historical buildings and heritage sites will give me an advantage as I work toward becoming a preservation architect, potentially leading restoration efforts on historic buildings in the U.S. or internationally.” 

Contacts 

Calysa McManus, Senior, Community and Regional Planning, calysamc@iastate.edu
Elle Otto, Fourth-year student, Architecture, emassy@iastate.edu
Lauren Johnson, Communications Specialist, College of Design, laujohn2@iastate.edu

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