Financial Aid office offers Global Trip Grant – theechonews.com

Report on the Global Trip Grant Initiative and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Fostering Global Citizenship and Reducing Inequality

A new scholarship, the Global Trip Grant, has been established to provide financial assistance for students with high financial need pursuing overseas practicums or internships. This initiative directly supports key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), by removing financial barriers to transformative international educational experiences.

Grant Framework and Strategic Partnerships

Financial Commitment and Allocation

The grant is made possible through a strategic partnership, reflecting SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). An anonymous donor has collaborated with the university’s Financial Aid office to create a sustainable funding model.

• Total Annual Funding: $30,000
• Duration: A five-year commitment
• Allocation: Funds are divided to support students participating in both J-term and summer overseas programs.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The Global Trip Grant is a targeted intervention designed to advance several SDGs by making global learning opportunities more inclusive and equitable.

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The grant promotes inclusive and equitable quality education by ensuring that students from all economic backgrounds can access international practicums. These experiences are critical for developing skills for global citizenship and cultural understanding, as outlined in Target 4.7.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By specifically targeting students with “unmet financial need,” the scholarship directly addresses economic disparities that often prevent participation in high-impact educational practices. It ensures that opportunity is not dictated by a student’s financial circumstances.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: International internships and practicums enhance student employability by providing them with global competencies and professional experience, contributing to their future ability to secure decent work and contribute to economic growth.

Inaugural Year Implementation and Results

J-Term 2024 Awards

The initial phase of the grant has been successfully implemented for the J-term period. The distribution underscores the program’s focus on providing meaningful financial support.

• Total Applicants: 50
• Scholarship Recipients: 6
• Award Amount Per Student: $3,000
• Total J-Term Funds Awarded: $18,000

The award amount was strategically chosen to cover a significant portion of the average trip cost, thereby maximizing the impact for recipients and making the experience financially viable.

Opportunities for Summer Programs

A remaining balance of $12,000 is designated for students undertaking global practicums or internships during the summer. The priority application deadline for these funds is February 1.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Determining Eligibility

The selection process is centered on ensuring the grant reaches its intended beneficiaries, in line with the principles of SDG 10.

• Primary Criterion: Unmet financial need, as determined by a review of the student’s FAFSA.
• Exclusions: Students whose financial need is already met by other aid or who are participating in fundraising trips are not eligible.
• Additional Factors: Consideration is also given to the student’s year and their written responses detailing the purpose and goals of their proposed trip.

Application Protocol

Students interested in the grant must follow a defined procedure to ascertain eligibility and apply.

1. Contact Beth Fisher, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, for an initial assessment of financial need.
2. If deemed eligible, the student will be provided with the formal application.
3. Application deadlines are in the spring for the following year’s J-term and February 1 for summer trips.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article focuses on the “Global Trip Grant,” a scholarship that enables students to participate in overseas practicums and internships. This directly contributes to enhancing the quality of education by providing students with international experience, which, as the article states, has “deepened their outlook on other cultures” and helps them “expand our thinking.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The scholarship is explicitly designed to reduce inequality. Its eligibility is “largely based on financial need” and targets students with “unmet financial need.” By providing financial assistance, the grant ensures that students from lower economic backgrounds have an equal opportunity to access valuable global experiences they “would not have been able to without this additional aid.”

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The creation of the scholarship is a direct result of a partnership. The article mentions that the grant was started by a “generous donor” who “has committed to providing $30,000 in scholarship money each year.” This represents a partnership between a private individual (civil society) and an educational institution to achieve the shared goal of making global education accessible.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
   • The grant makes an aspect of tertiary education (overseas practicums) more affordable and accessible to students who face financial barriers, thereby promoting equal access.
2. Target 4.b: By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available… for enrolment in higher education.
   • The “Global Trip Grant” is a direct example of a scholarship program being created and expanded to support students in higher education with their international academic pursuits.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… economic or other status.
   • The scholarship actively promotes the inclusion of students with “high financial need” in educational opportunities that are often only accessible to those with greater financial resources.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   • The collaboration between the anonymous donor (civil society) and the university’s Financial Aid office is a clear example of a partnership that leverages private resources to achieve a social and educational objective.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Indicator for Target 4.b: The article provides a direct measure related to the volume of financial aid for scholarships.
   • The specific indicator is the amount of funding provided: “$30,000 in scholarship money each year for the next five years.” This quantifies the expansion of scholarship availability.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Indicator for Target 10.2: The article provides data that can serve as an indicator for the inclusion of the target group.
   • Progress can be measured by the number of students from the target demographic (those with high financial need) who benefit from the program. The article states that “six of which ended up receiving the scholarship” from a pool of 50 applicants for the J-term portion.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Indicator for Target 17.17: The article specifies the financial value of the partnership.
   • The indicator is the amount of money committed by the civil society partner (the donor): A total of $150,000 over five years ($30,000 per year). This measures the resource mobilization aspect of the partnership.

4. Summary of Findings

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