Splendid China Study Tour Grants – Sp08

 

(last modified 31 Oct 2007)

 

 

Two grant funds have been established to provide financial assistance to students so that they may participate in the Splendid China Study Tour.  They are the China Study Tour Grant Fund and the Mandarin Fund.  Each is described below.

A.  China Study Tour Grant Fund

 

In Fall 2000, a China Study Tour Grant Fund was established with a contribution by a Gannon MBA alumnus who is a Chinese national now working in the US (for a company that has just opened an office in Beijing).  Subsequently, others have contributed to the fund.  The purpose of the fund is to provide grants to Gannon students to assist them in participating in a Splendid China Study Tour so as to learn more about the culture, history, political system, economic system, business environment, and legal system of what may be the most important country of this century, and to foster a better understanding between the people of the two countries.

 

For the Spring 2008 Splendid China Study Tour, the fund is to provide up to ten (10) grants, ranging in amount from $100-$300.  Any registered undergraduate or graduate Gannon student is eligible to apply for the grant.  Students who receive a grant from the Mandarin foundation, described below, are ineligible, as are those who may have participated in a previous Splendid China Study tour. 

 

The amounts of the award are as follows:

 

Student classification                                                                                                Amount

Undergrad or grad student enrolling in regular 3 credit China Studies course          $300

Undergrad student enrolling in one credit China Study Tour course                           150

Undergrad or grad student not enrolling in either above course                                  100

 

Students interested in applying for the China Study Tour Grant Fund grant should complete the China Study Tour Grant application form which is available on the tour Web site (https://chinastudytour.tripod.com/ ) as well as from Gary Mahan, Ph.D.  (telephone: 871.7588; Email:  mahan@gannon.edu).

 

China Study Tour Grant applications are due by Tues 20 Nov 2007.  Tour deposit must be received prior to or included with submission of grant application. 

 

Those students enrolling in one of the above mentioned courses are provided a preference in the awarding of the grants.  The awards are to be based upon academic record, quality of the 250 word essay explaining why the recipient would like to participate in the China Study Tour, expected benefits, and order in which application was received.

 

Grant awards are to be announced by 30 Nov 2007.

 

Deposits may be returned upon request before air tickets are purchased or final payment for land portion of tour is made, whichever comes first.

 

Upon return to U.S., grant recipients are required to write a brief essay about their experience, which should include a description of the experience, highlights of the most memorable aspects of it, perceptions of China, differences observed, impact of the  experience on recipient’s life and, most importantly, the educational value of the experience to the individual.  The essay is to be accompanied by background information on the grant recipient, including home town, major, year of study, etc.

 

The awards are to be dispersed in two separate checks:  one after the final payment for the land package has been received and air fare has been purchased, and another ($50) after return and the above mentioned essay has been submitted to BJ Fye, administrative assistant to Dean, CHBE, in PC 1202,  with a copy to Dr. Mahan. 

 

Grants received are not to be deducted from amounts due for land package nor air fare.  They are to be provided in the form of a separate check.

 

Acceptance of the grant involves an obligation to assist the tour leader with administrative tasks, such as preparing and distributing promotional material, contacting participants, promoting the tour to others, etc., this year and/or next.

 

Please note that the awarding of these grants is contingent upon receipt of the contribution from the Gannon MBA alumnus, who, for tax reasons, prefers to delay the contribution until next year.  This person has provided grants for each of the last six tours and there is no reason to doubt that they will not do so for this year’s tour as well.

 

Information on the above mentioned courses and grant application forms are available at the tour Web site (https://chinastudytour.tripod.com/  ) as well as  from Gary Mahan, Ph.D.  (telephone: 871.7588; Email:  mahan@gannon.edu).

 

B.  Mandarin Fund

A Mandarin Fund has been established to provide scholarships to students who are studying the Chinese language and who choose to study abroad in China.  Up to two (2) $500 scholarships are provided each year to students who study in China, which includes participation in the Splendid China Study Tour.  To be eligible, the student must be enrolled in a Chinese language course in Fa07 and/or Sp08.

 

Students interested in applying for the Mandarin Fund grant should complete the Mandarin Grant application form which is available on the tour Web site (https://chinastudytour.tripod.com/ ) as well as from Gary Mahan, Ph.D.  (telephone: 871.7588; Email:  mahan@gannon.edu).

 

Grant applications are due by Tues, 20 Nov 2007.  Tour deposit must be received prior to or included with submission of grant application. 

 

The awards are to be based upon the amount of Chinese language courses that have been taken, performance in these classes, academic record, quality of the 250 word essay explaining why the recipient would like to participate in the China Study Tour, expected benefits, and order in which application was received.

 

Grant awards are to be announced by 30 Nov 2007.

 

Deposits may be returned upon request before air tickets are purchased or final payment for land portion of tour is made, whichever comes first.

 

Upon return to U.S., grant recipients are required to write a brief essay about their experience, which should include a description of the experience, highlights of the most memorable aspects of it, perceptions of China, differences observed, impact of the  experience on the recipient’s life and, most importantly, the educational value of the experience to the individual.  The essay is to be accompanied by background information on the grant recipient including home town, major, year of study, etc.

 

The awards are to be dispersed in two separate checks:  one after the final payment for the land package has been received and air fare has been purchased, and another ($50) after return and the above mentioned essay has been submitted to BJ Fye, administrative assistant to Dean, CHBE, in PC 1202,  with a copy to Dr. Mahan. 

 

Grants received are not to be deducted from amounts due for land package nor air fare.

They are to be provided in the form of a separate check.