The Cormier Honors College is unable to give scholarships to honors students who are currently looking to study abroad in the 2016-2017 year due to late notices from the students.
“The students that apply for a scholarship get a scholarship. So if someone comes in February they might not get anything because we may not have anything to give and that’s why it’s so important that when we send out the intent to study abroad, that even if you don’t know the particular program you want to go on but you’re anticipating that you’ll study abroad so we can hold money for you,” said Jessi Znosko, coordinator of student support and advising for the college.
Honors students often seek out financial help from the college since they are ineligible for nearly all support from the Office of International Affairs, according to Dr. Alix Dowling Fink, dean of the Cormier Honors College and associate professor of biology.
“The issue is not that we don’t have money, it’s that we have already allocated it to the students that have applied for it,” said Fink.
Fink explained that students looking to study abroad in the 2016-2017 year might feel the affects of this since the money was allocated once all intent forms were submitted by the Sept. deadline.
“In 2016-17, we have invested to date a total of $54,315 in study abroad scholarships,” said Fink.
Of that amount, funds were awarded to four students for full semester study abroad programs, six with affiliate programs and 25 in Longwood faculty-led programs, according to Fink.
Honors students are required to complete a Longwood approved study abroad program, eight honors courses, maintain a 3.25 overall GPA in regular course work as well as in Honors coursework and have a senior level e-portfolio, according to the Longwood honors website.
Most honors students choose to partake in winter, spring and summer study abroad programs, according to Fink.
Fink claimed that rewarded amounts vary depending on the length of the study abroad program. Those students who are participating in full-semester programs receive larger funds. Students with high financial need also receive larger scholarships from similarly priced programs.
In 2015-2016 the college awarded $57,535 to students intending to study abroad. Funds allowed for two students to attend semester-long programs, seven students in affiliated programs and 31in faculty-led programs at Longwood, according to Fink.
The college receives funding starting on July 1, the start of the fiscal year for Longwood, in which they start distributing funds to the honors students, according to Fink.
“We have a set process every year in which we ask (honors) students to submit their intentions for study abroad in the fall and if they know what program they are going to do,” said Fink.
“The honors college ends every year with no money left because we invest every dollar that we have in our (honors) students,” said Fink. “Our goal is to provide as much support to (honors) students as we can.”
