Northern ireland 2024
Application
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and given priority in the order they are received.
Dates: June 16 - June 28, 2024 (Summer 2024)
Destination: Northern Ireland
Contact:
- University related questions:
Nevin Aiken (naiken@uwyo.edu)
- Travel related questions:
Timna Medovoy (medovoy@cielglobal.org)
Cost: $3750*
Program Overview
The Center for International Experiential Learning (CIEL) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring creative and critical thinking by utilizing the unique power of experiential learning and international travel in conflict-affected regions. As a premier study abroad provider for university partners, CIEL brings over 13 years of experience having safely guiding immersive educational travel for 700+ participants to conflict & post-conflict environments around the world.
Participants in the CIEL Northern Ireland Program will first engage in an intensive asynchronous online preparatory course (May – June 2023) hosted through UW to provide them with a comprehensive background to the region and the key historical and contemporary issues surrounding the conflict and peace process in Northern Ireland. Following this pre- travel education, participants will join other students from UW and other universities across the US & UK in immersive educational travel to receive on-the-ground exposure to the people, politics and realities of the conflict as they transit between the difficult and contested geographies of Northern Ireland & the Irish Republic.
As a unique part of their experiential learning program, students will actively engage with politicians, community leaders, non-governmental organizations, faith leaders, academic experts and victims/survivors from all sides impacted by the conflict to hear a comprehensive view of the divergent perspectives, narratives and human stories of people living in the region. As a result of their travel experience in region, students will return to campus better educated and more nuanced in their thinking about the Northern Ireland conflict & peace process and empowered with the knowledge and transferable skills needed to emerge as leaders in addressing issues of division and polarization surrounding complex global problems and in their own local contexts.
*Cost per participant: $3750 Program fee is paid directly to CIEL and includes all in-country transportation, accommodations, meal and all program related excursions and entry fees. Does not include flights to/from region, UW tuition/fees**.
**$325 study abroad fee, tuition fee ($245 / credit hour (non-degree seeking students), $180 / credit hour (degree seeking students) + $210 distant student service fee + $36 UW advising fee
the ciel experience
The CIEL NI travel program will consist of an intensive schedule characterized by early morning start times and late evening end times following daily group reflections. Students will be brought outside their existing comfort zones to be challenged and engaged on a daily basis not only intellectually, but also physically, socially, emotionally and sensorially as part of their experiential learning experience. At the same time, selected student participants will be empowered to take an active role in their own education by taking on accountable leadership roles and being involved as collaborative decision makers and co-teachers alongside their fellow learners.
In addition, there will be numerous high-level meetings with officials and other important actors in the region. Accordingly, CIEL expects all student participants selected for this program to be prepared to conduct themselves in a professional and diplomatic manner throughout the travel program and to take on the role of Student Diplomats representing CIEL, their university and their respective country. Further, to engage as effective participants, student applicants must demonstrate excellent critical thinking and communication skills as well as displaying a commitment to engaging as active participants in both the pre-travel education and travel-based experiential learning components of the CIEL NI program.
This travel experience will be very rewarding for those selected and often becomes a transformative touchstone for students’ personal, academic and professional development. Indeed, as a result of engaging in this kind of deep experiential learning, participants will be empowered with new knowledge and new transferable skill sets that they can carry forward into future leadership roles in their own career development and civic engagement.
UW Scholarships
Many of the UW scholarships are ‘stackable’ (meaning you can receive multiple awards) and often these awards are not fully disbursed each year due to a lack of applicants. If you are able to apply for multiple scholarships, this can substantially defray – or fully cover – the costs of your CIEL program participation this summer – so apply!
Please Note: Many of these have a firm March 15th deadline. All of the awards below require student applications via the online WyoScholarships portal.
1) All UW students enrolling in a faculty-led study abroad program (like this one) are eligible to receive the ‘Dick and Lynne Cheney Study-Abroad Faculty Directed Programs’ Scholarship. All this requires is for you to answer a few short questions and this year they are awarding approximately $500-1000 to every student. You can find the link to this opportunity here: https://uwyo.academicworks.com/opportunities/36976
2) if you are a SPPAIS major (or minor) in Political Science or International Studies you are also eligible to apply for a ‘SPPAIS Study Abroad Scholarship’ valued at up to $2500 to support the cost of your program. While this is a competitive pool, since no applications were funded in the previous years due to COVID-19 the chances of success (and higher awards) are likely much greater this year. A link for this can be found here: https://uwyo.academicworks.com/opportunities/34992
3) If you have an Honors Minor (and have a GPA of 3.25 or above), you are also eligible to receive the ‘Honors Study Abroad Scholarship’ for Summer was valued at $1000 to every student who applies to support the costs of your program. A link for this award can be found at: https://uwyo.academicworks.com/opportunities/34595
4) If you are a Political Science or Communications and Journalism major, you can apply for the competitive ‘Judith A. Muhlberg Endowment for Study Abroad’ which is valued at $5000 to support a study abroad program. A link for this can be found here: https://uwyo.academicworks.com/opportunities/36110
5) Last, you will want to see if there are any other potential scholarships you might be eligible for based on your own academic program or background. For instance, there is a scholarship if you are an English major a Kappa Kappa Gamma (or other sorority) member at UW, or have financial need and bank at UNIWYO credit Union.
Aside from the above, you will also want to check out the Education Abroad Study Abroad Scholarship portal (if you haven’t yet) at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwyoabroad/money-matters/financial-aid-scholarships.html
How to apply
All interested students are encouraged to apply for the CIEL NI program through the two two-step process through CIEL and UW’s Education Abroad Office.
Reminder: The final deadline is March 31, 2024 but applications are accepted on a first-come first-serve basis so early applications are strongly encouraged to secure a spot.
This is a 2-step application. Please start here and make sure to then also apply through UW’s Education Abroad Office (you will get redirected).