Thank you for your interest in the May 2010 Experiential Learning (EL) Travel Seminars. Below is information regarding the application process and other related items.
All EL Travel Seminars are pending enrollment numbers to be determined in Mid-December.
Although these are "Travel Seminars", each Seminar still requires an extensive amount of academic work similar to other courses at Allegheny College (see grading information below). For your completed work, you will earn four liberal studies credits, unless otherwise noted. (Nicaragua Seminar will be worth two liberal studies credits)
Students on academic or disciplinary probation will not be admitted to the EL Seminar course. All participants must have completed the spring 2010 semester at Allegheny. Graduating seniors interested in participating in an EL Seminar will be required to address the need for this course after graduation in their personal statements. They may also be asked to explain how studying off campus through the EL Seminar will enhance their degree and/or their future personal and professional goals.
| Applications available online | September 16, 2009 |
| Student online applications and transcripts due at ACCEL | December 1, 2009 |
| Participation decisions announced | December 8, 2009 |
| Mandatory general meeting for all participants | Early January |
| Apply for Passport | Early January |
| $250 deposit and predeparture documents due at ACCEL ($250 deposit refunded if Seminar is cancelled) | January 19, 2010 |
| Individual seminar meetings with EL Director(s) | Begin February 2010 |
| Date to request return flight deviation Airline deposits made (Cancellations after this date incur loss airline deposit) | January 19, 2010 Late January 2010 |
| Make appointment with Financial Aid to discuss loan options | February 2010 |
| EL Travel Seminar billing mailed to participants | February 5, 2010 |
| LAST day to apply for loan applications to be submitted | March 1, 2010 |
| Passport information forms due | March 1, 2010 |
| Remaining program fee due (cash, check, loan approval) | March 15, 2010 |
| EL Travel Seminar Departures | May 2010 |
| EL Travel Seminar Returns | Early June 2010 |
As part of the process to enroll, we ask that you complete the form here. The professor(s) teaching each seminar will review your applications; please note they may require interviews or additional information. Completed applications are due 5 p.m., Monday, December 1, 2009. Note that we only accept on-line applications.
You will be informed by December 8, 2009 of your status in the seminar.
Your application must include:
1) Student Information Form
This is accessible here and due by December 1, 2009. Please apply to only one EL Seminar. If you are not selected to participate in the EL Seminar of your choice, you will have the opportunity to transfer your application to other EL Seminars that remain open for applications due to low enrollment numbers.
2) Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose is a critical part of your application and weighs heavily in the selection process. You must attach your statement of purpose to the online application as a .doc or pdf file. Make sure you put your name at the top of each page of the essay, and reiterate what seminar you're applying to (this is just in case the essay gets separated from the application form in cyberspace!)
a. Describe your interest in taking this course. What are your expectations and what do you hope to gain from this class experience?
b. Indicate any relevant courses you may have completed at Allegheny College that will help prepare you for this course.
c. What travel experiences have you had? This can include travel in general and to the specific region of the world where the course you are interested in will be taught.
3) Unofficial Transcript
This can be requested at the Registrar's Office, located on the second floor of Bentley Hall. Unofficial transcripts are often available immediately but are most often processed within two days, especially during registration and add/drop periods. If it is not possible to obtain it immediately, ask for it to be sent directly to the International Office (Campus Box Y). Please make sure your transcript arrives at the International Office by December 1, 2009. Further details about the process for obtaining an unofficial transcript from the Registrar's Office are listed here.
If you are a first year or transfer student, instead of a transcript, you must submit a letter of recommendation from your academic advisor. The form can found here.
The estimated cost for each Seminar will be note in late September. Cost includes $750 for tuition. The remaining amount covers fees for travel, room and most meals, etc. A $250 deposit will be due on January 19, 2010, at ACCEL/IO, with other predeparture documents. The remaining fee is due by March 15, 2010. Payment can be made by check payable to Allegheny College, cash, credit card for a fee through Tuition Management Systems, www.afford.com (Visa Cards are not accepted) or notification from the Financial Aid Office regarding a pending loan. If you are interested in applying for a loan, please stop by the Financial Aid Office beginning in February 2010 to set up an appointment to discuss loans options available to you. Important information regarding cancellations and refunds is below.
If you are applying to a Seminar that travels outside the United States and do not yet have a passport, you should begin the process of applying for one immediately after you are accepted. Currently, the normal process takes over eight weeks. The longer you wait, the longer it will take to process, as you will be competing with all other American tourists who will travel to Canada, Mexico and overseas next summer. You can find information and applications online at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. Once you have completed the form, you can bring it to the Meadville Courthouse, located on the "Diamond." Students who already have passports should make sure that the expiration date is at least six months beyond the Seminar return date.
ACCEL/IO will hold a MANDATORY meeting for approved applicants in early January, to begin discussing the pre-trip details. You may meet the faculty member leading the course at that time, and you may also have individual seminar meetings arranged by the EL Director(s) throughout the Spring 2010 semester.
Some seminars will begin coursework on campus, and you are expected to be on campus for that time period. Housing will be provided on campus with no extra charge for those days, as will be linens (with the exception of a pillow). There is NO housing available upon your return, unless you have summer campus employment.
Please be advised that an EL Travel Seminar may be cancelled due to low student enrollment. The decision to go or not to go will be made on December 8, 2009.
If ACCEL and/or the faculty leader(s) cancel the trip prior to departure, every effort will be made to recover all costs and refund the students without penalty.
WITHDRAWAL
Withdrawals must be submitted in writing to Jenny Kawata, Box Y, or jenny.kawata@allegheny.edu; the date such notification is received by ACCEL is the cancellation date.
Because of the nature of EL Travel Seminars, many payments and arrangements must be made far in advance of the departure dates. In the event that you must withdraw from the course, ACCEL will attempt to recover costs already paid on your behalf. Please note that we cannot guarantee a refund.
ACCEL defines experiential learning as:
A component of the educational process in which students are active participants in events and activities leading to the accumulation of knowledge, skills, and values in settings beyond the classroom. These learning activities aim to promote intellectual development, cross-cultural and global awareness, civic and social responsibility, ethical development, career exploration, and personal growth. This learning occurs through the acquisition of knowledge, reflection, and hands-on participation.
In an effort to ensure that Experiential Learning (EL) Seminars reflect these learning objectives, ACCEL, in collaboration with past EL Seminar faculty leaders, has developed the following assessment guidelines:
Please note that all courses are graded with letter grades or a credit/no-credit option.
If you have questions pertaining to the administrative components of the course, please contact Jenny M. Kawata or Linda Litzinger in ACCEL (x4891). For questions concerning seminar content, please contact the professor(s) listed on the flier.
