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Greg Orwig Cultural Immersion Scholarship

Funded by
$1,000
1 winner$1,000
Awarded
Application Deadline
Sep 1, 2021
Winners Announced
Oct 1, 2021
Education Level
Undergraduate
Recent Bold.org scholarship winners
Eligibility Requirements
Travel:
Currently studying abroad or plans to study abroad in the next year.

Studying abroad can reshape how you understand and think about the world.

Travel and cultural immersion broadens perspectives and bridges gaps of understanding between people from different cultures and backgrounds.

As citizens of a world that is more interconnected every day, we are challenged to live, learn and love across many dimensions of human diversity. Immersing yourself in another way of life helps you understand and appreciate others while gaining a more sophisticated perspective of your own culture.

With this idea in mind, the Greg Orwig Cultural Immersion Scholarship is designed to help one student who would like to broaden his or her perspective by studying abroad. 

To apply for this scholarship, you must be a current undergraduate student at a 4-year university. Please write about your passion for cultural immersion, the country you’d like to travel to, and why you believe a study abroad experience in that country would help you grow as a person and citizen of the world.

Selection Criteria:
Essay, Study Abroad, Critical Thinking, Open-Mindedness
Published April 12, 2021
Essay Topic

Why do you have a passion for cultural immersion? What country would you like to study abroad in? Why do you believe a study abroad experience in this country would help you grow as a person and citizen of the world?

400–600 words

Winning Application

Grace Smithwick
Rowan UniversityCollingswood, NJ
Considering a 12 year age difference, my brother has always been a big role model in my life. When I was in elementary school, I watched him go to college, attain great success, travel abroad a few times, win a scholarship to do research in the Amazon Rainforest, and so much more. These experiences have shaped who he is. In years past, we have had his South American friends sitting with us around our Christmas dinner table. He has inspired me to try and get some of these life-shaping experiences in my time as an undergraduate student. I am interested in going into medicine, and I believe that it is extremely important for physicians to be able to speak Spanish. It is a very prevalent language spoken in many places in our country. About a year ago, I began volunteering at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ, and I have seen first hand the need for Spanish-speaking medical professionals. This has inspired me to pursue a minor in Spanish in college. I have begun taking intermediate level courses that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to use the language. During the summer of 2022, I plan on studying abroad with TCNJ. I want to attend the annual study abroad trip to Madrid, Spain. This summer, I am truly getting practice out of my Spanish. I recently became connected with an independent pharmacist from Lindenwold NJ who strives to serve the Spanish speaking residents of the area. Many of these people don't speak any English, are not US Citizens, and are uninsured. Over the Spring, I took the necessary classes to get my Pharmacy Technician license with immunization approval. I have been volunteering in the pharmacy giving these Lindenwold residents their COVID-19 vaccinations. It has been a very eye opening and humbling experience for me. Something that has touched me is that everyone is SO grateful to be sitting in that chair and getting their vaccine. I find that a lot of people in our country expect it or are refusing to get it for political reasons. I believe that all of my attempts to learn the language of Spanish will help me to become a better medical professional someday. A study abroad experience to Spain will help me to learn about their culture and traditions, and further elevate my speaking abilities. I believe that this trip will be one of the highlights of my undergraduate experience.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Sep 1, 2021. Winners will be announced on Oct 1, 2021.

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