Avail of the Scholarships are Offered by the CLA’s Office

By GRACEANNE TRUMPFELLER

Editorial Support

All of us have an explorer within ourselves – although empty wallets often restrain them from seeking their heart’s desires. However that may be, Knights consumed by wanderlust can find solace in the Center for Learning Abroad (CLA) which has continuously made it possible for Lynn students to explore their inner world traveler.

“The price of studying abroad was a huge factor for me, and it was the first thing I thought about when I decided I wanted to study abroad,” explained Sydney Trezza, a senior who received the Stephanie Crispinelli Endowed Memorial Scholarship. “The only reason I was able to study abroad was because the CLA offers some really amazing scholarships.”

With more than 60 programs worldwide, the CLA offers short-term, semester and year-long programs in which the coursework completed abroad is applied toward the student’s degree back here at Lynn. The study abroad providers that have partnered with Lynn offer a variety of scholarship opportunities that are dependent on the program, the term, a student’s needs and their academic qualifications.

The Stephanie Crispinelli Endowed Memorial Scholarship, for example, is one of three Memorial Scholarships that were established to honor the Lynn faculty and students who lost their lives during the earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010.

Memorial Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate a commitment to service but for financial reasons cannot afford the 3-week Spanish Language and Culture course in the Dominican Republic on their own. In order to be considered for a Memorial Scholarship during the 2015-16 academic year, applicants are required to submit a scholarship application and essay in addition to one recommendation form.

Applicants might also find interest in the CLA Correspondent Scholarship for either J-Term or summer which allows students studying communication, film and television, multimedia journalism or related fields the chance to travel alongside their peers while documenting the program in order to produce a final video that encompasses the entirety of the off-campus program experience.

Though there are a multitude of communication classes typically required in order to apply, students who have not completed every course are encouraged to apply anyway if they possess the necessary skills and are recommended by a College of International Communication (CIC) faculty member.

“I actually didn’t take all of the required classes, but I didn’t let that stop me,” said Brooke Rudisill, a senior who received the Correspondent Scholarship for the 2015 J-Term. “I researched and learned how to edit on Final Cut Pro X before I had left. But when it came to finding the right stories, my journalism classes were a huge help.”

Applications for the Correspondence Scholarships must be submitted by Oct. 1 for J-Term, and March 1 for the spring semester.

Depending on a student’s program of interest, further financial assistance can be found for semester study abroad. For example, the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), Arcadia Study Abroad, CEA Global Education, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) and the Institute for International Education of Students (IES Abroad) all offer financial assistance to students determined on studying abroad.

Spring 2016 scholarships include the CIEE Berlin Student Grant, which offers four Fighting Knights $6,000 grants to attend the CIEE Open Campus program in Berlin for Spring 2016.

“This was definitely one of the biggest defining moments of my entire life so far,” said Rudisill. “I can’t even begin to explain how much [my time abroad] has impacted my view of life.”

For those interested in studying abroad but frightened of the price tag, all scholarship opportunities are listed on lynn.abroadoffice.net under the Scholarships tab. The CLA office is conveniently located on the first floor of the Lynn Student Center right outside of the Dining Commons and potential applicants are welcome to stop by with any questions.

“To those who are thinking about applying for the scholarship: I almost backed out of applying because I didn’t think that I was qualified enough, but if storytelling is a passion of yours, go out and learn as much as you possibly can by picking up a camera and filming the stories that surround you,” urged Rudisill.

Deadlines for applications are quickly approaching, For specific deadlines corresponding to one’s program of choice, visit the CLA website as soon as possible.

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