Service Travel Scholarship
Doing service in a new-to-me community is one the most impactful of college experiences available.
To help make non-local Service accessible, each year the Office of Service-Learning, in cooperation with the office of the Provost, awards several travel grants to USC Upstate students traveling with an officially designated Service course (check on this with the director of your program &/or with ServiceLearning@uscupstate.edu). Awards will be contingent on both the quality of application and availability of funds; therefore, some applications may not be funded.
Funding for approved applicants follows this matrix:
|
|
Service Learning |
Service Engagement |
|
Service-Abroad |
$500 |
$250 |
|
Service-Away |
$250 |
$125 |
| Application Deadlines | |
| Spring Travel: | Feb 1 |
| Summer Travel: | May 1 |
| Fall Travel | Sept 1 |
| Exceptions to these deadlines may be made under certain circumstances. In all cases, applications must be submitted at least 30 days before travel Email ServiceLearning@uscupstate.edu with questions or requests |
|
Eligibility Requirements:
- Registered and accepted for a USC Upstate Service-Abroad or Service-Away Program - associated with a Service course - at time of application
- Enrolled student, in good standing, at USC Upstate at the time of application and travel
- Completed at least one full semester (12 hours) at USC Upstate at the time of travel
- Minimum 2.50 GPA at the date of application OR 3.0 GPA in the preceding 12 months
- Evidence of successful follow-through on any previously earned USC Upstate scholarships/awards
Application Process:
- Online Application
Includes a one-page resume highlighting relevant professional, academic, and service experience. Included here are descriptions of your past/current investment in volunteerism, civic/ community engagement, and/or service-learning and your plans to help promote volunteerism, civic/ community engagement, and/or service-learning on &/or off campus - Statement of Recommendation/Support
Identify a current Upstate faculty member [not the Service-Abroad program director] who can comment on your academic expertise, team-related disposition, and inclinations for service. You will asked to fill in your recommender's name (first & last) and email address (___@uscupstate.edu).
Professional courtesy (and common sense) suggests that you ask any potential reference if they are willing and able to recommend you before you list them on your application. You may tell them that the recommendation process should take less than 5 minutes to complete and thta they will receive an email requesting a recommendation (this will be sent based on the information you provide in your application).
Decision Criteria
- Prior involvement in Service-Learning
- Prior involvement in volunteering/community engagement
- Plan for promoting Service-Learning/Service-Abroad/Service-Away
- Professionalism of the application
- Faculty Recommendation
Download the Resume Template