FUNDING REQUEST WORKSHOP January 31, 2008

1. FUNDING REQUEST WORKSHOP January 31, 2008

2. Beginning with the Hendrix graduating class of 2009, all students are required to complete three Odyssey experiences selected from the six categories: • Artistic Creativity • Global Awareness • Professional and Leadership Development • Service to the World • Undergraduate Research • Special Projects • Since the Odyssey Program began, the Committee on Experiential Learning has awarded more than half a million dollars to support Odyssey Projects by students and faculty.

3. Artistic CreativityStudents explore their creative potential and express it in art, music, dance, drama, or creative writing. Thomas Christie received one of the first Odyssey Grants for his project titled “Images from Abroad: Student Perspectives.” He printed and custom matted photography from Hendrix students taken in 15 different countries. His exhibit is currently hanging in the Odyssey Office Gallery.

4. Global Awareness Students are immersed in another culture. Tara Allison, Cara Boyd, Alisha Burrow, Heath DeJean, and Megan Knox participated in an independent study with Dr. Carol West. In the summer of 2006, the group’s travel to Africa was supported by an Odyssey Grant. At the African Literature Association’s annual conference in Accra/Labadi, they heard presentations by Africa’s leading writers and scholars. They visited sites of literary, cultural and historical interest in Ghana that related to the independent study’s readings and discussions.

5. Professional and Leadership DevelopmentInternships and other on-site professional experiences, or leadership in campus, community, or professional life extend students’ knowledge. Amy Russo received an Odyssey Grant in 2006 for her summer internship at the Louisiana State Archives, focusing on several special projects including genealogical historical research, the preservation of historical documents, and the cataloging of collections. Based on her work there, Russo created a Web site featuring interesting facts about Louisiana history.

6. Service to the WorldStudents help meet the social, ecological and spiritual needs of our time, both on campus and beyond the Hendrix community. An Odyssey Grant helped send T. C. Elliott to volunteer with a medical mission in the small city of Tlaxiaco in Mexico. He was part of a medical mobile unit that went to the area’s villages to provide free medical clinics. He also brought thousands of dollars worth of new and vitally needed donated medical supplies with him for the clinic.

7. Undergraduate ResearchStudents engage in significant research projects in any academic area that interests them. Ryan Strickland is participating in “PlanetQuest,” which is seeking other planets that could support life. His Odyssey Grant allowed him to visit the Lick Observatory and other astronomical research sites with his project sponsor, Dr. Ann Wright, in the summer of 2006.

8. Special ProjectsEvery student has the potential to surprise the faculty by extending, applying, connecting or sharing different ways of knowing. Stephen Dyle plans to become an archeologist, digging up the relics of the past and piecing together humanity’s story. In 2006, his Odyssey Grant helped as he investigated the ancient Mayans whose civilization extended into modern-day Belize. At an archeological field school in Belize, he got in-depth experience with the techniques involved in an active dig and the proper documentation and care of artifacts,

9. ? So, how can YOU get an Odyssey Grant?

10. You need to get a copy of the 2007-2008 Odyssey Program Guide. (And read it carefully.)

11. Plan ahead • Pay attention to the Funding Request deadline and timeframe for proposals. • The October 15 deadline is for projects in the spring, including the Winter Break. • The February 15 deadline is for summer projects. • The April 15 deadline is for projects in the fall of 2008.

12. The Committee on Experiential Learning makes the funding decisions. The members of the Committee for 2007-2008 are: Dr. Jay Barth (Politics), Director of Civic Engagement Projects, ex officioDr. Nancy Fleming (Music), Associate Director of the Odyssey Program, ex officio (non-voting) Dr. Tom Goodwin (Chemistry), Chair of the CommitteeDr. Jay McDaniel (Religion) Prof. Maxine Payne (Art)Dr. Mark Schantz (History), Director of the Odyssey Program, ex officioDr. David Sutherland (Mathematics), Associate Provost, ex officio Dr. Ann Wright (Physics)Students Erica Siebrasse and Bee Lyons, who were appointed by the Student Senate You can contact the entire committee by e-mailing them at cel@hendrix.edu.

13. The Committee is not psychic. Be clear and articulate in your writing. There is no interview process, so your Proposal and Funding Request must speak for you. Funding is not determined by the number of pages in the request or how much it weighs. You don’t need to write a novel—the CEL appreciates a succinct, clearly written proposal of 2-4 pages that describes your plans in detail.

14. Use the Odyssey Office forms. Make sure that they are signed. The most important and powerful words you can use on your forms are SEE ATTACHED.

15. Type your proposal and funding request attachments.

16. If you need advice on filling in your paperwork, selecting a campus supervisor, or picking a category for your project, the Odyssey Office can help. We also advise you to bring a draft of your request to the Odyssey Office. We can guide you in making your proposal more compelling. (Having us on your side doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get funding, but it doesn’t hurt!)

17. Submit an itemized budget. Check your math. Check it again. Don’t rely on spellcheck. (Words that you don’t want on your proposal are words, too.) Think through all the steps of your project carefully and make sure that you have not forgotten anything that should be included in your budget.

18. We aren’t made of money. There is only a limited amount of grant money available. It’s a very competitive process. Faculty and students have an equal chance at getting funding. Be prudent about your request. Don’t ask for items that the CEL has said they won’t generally fund. Show that you are committed to your project by offering to help cover some of your own costs.

19. Wondering what the CEL generally doesn’t want to fund? $ Normally, Odyssey funding will not be awarded for: • tuition at other colleges or universities; • paid internships; • equipment or hardware; • projects by seniors which take place predominantly or exclusively after their graduation; • faculty stipends for projects that are carried out during the academic year while classes are in session; or • ordinary expenses to travel abroad (items such as passports, visas, immunizations, etc.).

20. Keep this in mind, too. Ordinarily, Odyssey FUNDING will be available only for Study Abroad experiences that include a specific, well-defined, distinctive, appropriate, and worthwhile Odyssey-worthy project. Simply enrolling in a foreign study program, while eligible for Odyssey credit, will not merit funding. Budgets that include student or faculty remuneration should include the Hendrix share of FICA expenses (7.65% of gross salary). The recipient’s FICA expenses will be deducted from the gross salary.

21. Travel Advisory Countries The State Department issues travel advisories about dangerous conditions in certain countries, and the government recommends that Americans avoid those areas. Before you propose a project that involves overseas travel, verify that your destination does not appear on the travel advisory list (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html). The Odyssey Office respects the opinion of the State Department regarding this issue, and neither credit nor funding will be available for projects to travel advisory countries. This is the list as of 1/23/2008.

22. The best category is the one that best suits your project. All categories are considered equal in the funding process. Your chances of receiving funding don’t change based on the category. What category is the best?

23. How much should I ask for?

24. Patience is a virtue. The CEL needs time to read each proposal and carefully weigh its merits. The CEL meets several times in the process before making a final determination. The Committee on Faculty reviews the recommendations from the CEL before the decisions are released. Allow at least three to four weeks for the Committee to announce its decision.

25. Is your cup half-full or half-empty? Remember that not everyone gets funding, and not all of the funded projects receive 100% of the requested amount. You need to have a backup plan!

26. You’ll get two letters from the Odyssey Office. One will let you know if your project has been approved for Odyssey Credit (the CEL only considers approved projects for funding). This will arrive within a week of the deadline. The second letter will let you know the Committee’s decision. If you do receive funding, your letter will include a form for you to sign letting the Odyssey Office know if you choose to accept or to decline your award.

27. If you receive funding, you will be required to sign a Waiver Form before any funds will be released. The appropriate form for your project will be included with your notification letter. Waiver Forms

28. As the recipient of an Odyssey Grant, you may be asked to participate in Hendrix events, such as for the Office of Admission or for the Office of Advancement. It is also likely that you will be interviewed for press releases or other articles about your experience.

29. Don’t forget…. You will need to turn in a Project Completion Form at the end of your experience. This will contain the wording that appears on your Odyssey Transcript. Also, the Odyssey Office appreciates photography related to your experience.

30. Questions? Go ahead and ask! Good luck on your funding request!