Thank you for your interest in the May 2008 Experiential Learning (EL) Travel Seminars. Below is information regarding the application process and other related items.
| Applications available online | September 3, 2007 |
| Student online applications and transcripts due at ACCEL | October 18 |
| Participation decisions announced | November 17 |
| Mandatory general meeting for all participants | Nov 28 OR 29; 4-5pm each day |
| $250 deposit and predeparture documents due at ACCEL ($250 deposit refunded if Seminar is cancelled) | December 14 |
| Individual seminar meetings | Begin January 2008 |
| Last day to request return flight deviation | February 13 |
| Airline deposits made (Cancellations after this date incur loss of $150 airline deposit) | February 15 |
| Housing forms available from Residence Life | March 1 |
| LAST day to apply for loan applications to be submitted | March 1 |
| EL Travel Seminar billing mailed to participants | March 5 |
| Remaining program fee due (cash, check, loan approval) | March 15 |
| Program-specific pre-departure orientations | April TBA by faculty leader |
| Housing forms due at Residence Life | May 1 |
| Passport information forms due | May 1 |
| EL Travel Seminar Departures | May/June |
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., Thursday, October 18, 2007. Note that we only accept on-line applications. You will be informed by November 17 of your status in the seminar.
Your application must include:
1) Student Information Form
This is accessible here and due by October 18, 2007. You must submit a separate application and essay for each EL Seminar you are applying for. Per the request of seminar instructors, please also indicate the rank order of the seminars you are applying to.
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 October 18, 2007. 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 is listed on fliers available in ACCEL (and online). Cost includes $525 for tuition. The remaining amount covers fees for travel, room and board, etc. A $250 deposit will be due on December 14, 2007, at ACCEL/IO, with other predeparture documents. The remaining fee is due by March 15, 2008. Payment must be made with a check payable to Allegheny College (no cash or credit cards accepted), or notification from the Financial Aid Office regarding a pending loan, or notification of available DSS funding. If you are interested in applying for a loan, please contact Karole Jastromb, in Financial Aid Office at X2701. 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 on Monday, Nov. 28 OR Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2007, at 4 p.m. to begin discussing the pre-trip details. You may meet the faculty member leading the course at that time, and you will also have individual seminar meetings arranged by the faculty leaders.
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. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for the days on campus, but dinner will be at your cost.
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 February 16, 2008.
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 Danuta Majchrowicz, Box Y, or danuta.majchrowicz@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; a credit/no-credit option is not available.
If you have questions pertaining to the administrative components of the course, please contact Danuta Majchrowicz or Linda Litzinger in ACCEL (x4891). For questions concerning seminar content, please contact the professor(s) listed on the flier.
