Experiential Learning Seminars

Thank you for your interest in the May 2012 Experiential Learning (EL) Travel Seminars. Below is information regarding the application process and other related items.

Please note that all EL Travel Seminars are pending enrollment numbers which will be determined in Mid-December 2011.

General Requirements

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 2012 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.

Timeline

Event	Date
Applications available online	September 16, 2011
Student online applications and transcripts due at ACCEL	December 1, 2011 by 5pm
Participation decisions announced	December 8, 2011 by 5pm
Make appointment with Financial Aid to discuss loan options	As soon as you are accepted
Apply for Passport	As soon as you are accepted
Passport information forms due in ACCEL	January 3, 2012
Student Participation documents due in ACCEL	January 3, 2012
Mandatory Meeting for all EL Participants	January 18 & 19, 2012
Individual seminar meetings with EL Director(s)	Begin February 2012
Flight deposits will be made	Late January 2012
EL Travel Seminar billing mailed to participants	February 5, 2012
$250.00 withdraw fee will assessed to all withdraws after this date	February 5, 2012
Remaining program fee due (cash, check, loan approval)	March 1, 2012
EL Travel Seminar Departures	May 2012
EL Travel Seminar Returns	Early June 2012

Application

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, December 1, 2011. Note that we only accept on-line applications.

You will be informed by December 8, 2011 of your status in the seminar.

Your application must include:

1. Student Information Form

   This is accessible here and due by December 1, 2011. 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!)

   1. Describe your interest in taking this course. What are your expectations and what do you hope to gain from this class experience?
   2. Indicate any relevant courses you may have completed at Allegheny College that will help prepare you for this course.
   3. 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.

Costs & Payment

The estimated cost for each Seminar will be noted on the seminar website in late September 2011. Cost includes $750 for tuition. The remaining amount covers fees for travel, room and most meals, etc. A withdraw fee of $250 will be assessed to any accepted student’s account who withdraws after February 5, 2012. The program costs are due by due by March 1, 2012. 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 November 2011 to set up an appointment to discuss loans options available to you. Important information regarding cancellations and refunds is below.

• Academic Year Fee Payment

  Your 2011-2012 academic year account must be paid in full in order for you to participate in the EL Seminar. If your account is not paid in full by March 30, 2012, Allegheny reserves the right to withdraw you from the Seminar, even if you have paid the EL Seminar fee in full.

Passport

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.

Pre-departure meetings

ACCEL/IO will hold a MANDATORY meeting for approved applicants in late 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 2012 semester.

Housing and meals on campus

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.

Course cancellation and withdrawal

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 by December 2011.
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. A $250 withdraw fee will be assessed to any accepted student who withdraws from their program after February 5, 2012.

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.

EL Seminar grading information

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:

• Focusing

  Assigned readings and/or research, typically completed prior to departure, provide students with appropriate background knowledge about the history, culture, people, issues, etc., of the areas they will visit. They may also provide the groundwork for presentations students give either before leaving, while on-site, or after returning to campus.

• Acting

  Participation in group activities and individual assignments is an essential part of the experiential learning process. EL Seminars are intense group experiences, and students are expected to participate actively, and contribute positively, to all aspects of the program. It is important to note that participation includes making a continuous effort to observe, learn about, and take part in the everyday culture and environment of the host site.

• Reflecting

  Reflection, whether in short essays, a daily journal, or other appropriate assignments, allows students to comment on what they have seen and done and consider their impressions in the context of the readings. Journals and essays emphasize writing that is descriptive, contemplative, and well-structured, and students are expected to re-read and revise the entries prior to and/or after submitting them.

• Wrapping Up

  Course review again combines personal experience and opinions with readings and reactions to the readings. Assessment can take the form of longer comprehensive papers or exams at any time during the course. For example, faculty directors may choose to give a “mid-course” exam based on reading and research prior to departing for the EL Seminar site.

Please note that all courses are graded with letter grades.

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.