DEAN RUSK / PULITZER CENTER

TRAVEL REPORTING GRANT

The Dean Rusk International Studies Program awards grants for study, service and experiential learning abroad, and in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting ( offer two grants each year specifically focused on reporting.

The recipients of the Dean Rusk/Pulitzer Center Travel Reporting Grant will receive grants in order to complete an independent multimedia international reporting project on a systemic issue of global importance that is under-reported or unreported in the US mainstream media.

Working closely with Pulitzer Center staff and a Pulitzer Center journalist mentor, recipients will build on their project proposal and decide on a plan of deliverables that will include some combination of maintaining a blog, taking photographs, recording audio, shooting video, and writing articles for the Pulitzer Center website. Recipients are encouraged to seek other outlets for their work, though these need not be included in the initial project proposal. Recipients are required to adhere to the Pulitzer Center’s Ethics and Policy throughout the reporting project:

Previous experience or expertise in photography or filming is not a prerequisite for applying for this grant. Recipients will participate in a Pulitzer Center multimedia reporting workshop during the spring semester and work one-on-one with Pulitzer staff to develop the needed technical skills for their project goals. While working on their project in the field, a member of the Pulitzer Center staff will serve as their editor – establishing deadlines and assisting them in crafting publishing-worthy pieces.Recipients will also choose a past Pulitzer Center journalist to serve as a professional mentor (subject to availability) who will offer practical advice and non-editorial support. The project must be finished by the Friday before the start of the fall semester or on the date that is agreed on between the Pulitzer Center and the student prior to travel. Until all deliverables agreed upon with the Pulitzer Center have been completed, the Dean Rusk Program will withhold 40% of the grant amount. Once the project has been completed, this final sum will be granted to the student.

There are two reporting grants available each summer for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. The applications will be considered by the Dean Rusk Program’s staffand the Pulitzer Center.

The following guidelines are intended to help you understand what factors we consider when administering grant funds. They are called guidelines because they are not hard and fast rules; certain factors are more or less important in each individual case. If you have any questions about these guidelines, call or email Meg Sawicki, the Dean Rusk International Studies Program Coordinatorat 704-894-2440 or . She can help direct you to student and staff advisors to help you with your application.

1)START EARLY.

The earlier you begin working on your proposal and the more thought you give it, the more likely you are to have an impressive project planned by the application deadline. Come to one of our grant information sessions to find out more about how to put together a successful project.

If you’re not exactly sure about what you want to do or how to get started, make an appointment to talk with the Director or Assistant to the Director. Communicating with the Program staff as you develop your proposal will not only help you to write a better proposal, but it will also mean that we are well acquainted with your application when we consider it. You may also come to our office and look through past applications to get a better idea of the criteria that the faculty committee uses in selecting grant recipients.

Although we accept proposals that are not completely finalized (you have set up a project but haven’t heard from all your contacts, for example), the more complete your proposal is the more likely you are to receive an award. If your proposal is tentative and the Committee approves it, you will be given a grant contingent on your plans actually working out. You are on your honor to use the money for your approved project; if your plans change, you must clear them with the Dean Rusk International Studies Program before transferring your grant; if your plans fall through you must return the money.

2) MAKE SURE YOUR PROPOSAL IS SPECIFIC, CLEAR, AND FEASIBLE.

The last part of the application asks for a detailed description of your project: that’s your opportunity to tell us why we should fund it. Include what issue you want to address, whose stories you want to tell, where you will travel to cover the issue, which media you think will tell the story best, who or what kinds of people you plan to talk to, how you will make the material accessible to lay audiences, and how your project matches the Pulitzer Center’s goal of focusing on under reported systemic issues of global importance, what you hope to get from the project, and why it interest you. Keep in mind that you are crafting news articles and stories, not research papers.

Because of the time and work involved in producing articles and media pieces for the Pulitzer Center, proposals need to consist of freestanding projects unconnected to a study abroad program. It may be conducted in conjunction with an internship, but only so long as that internship has clear ties to your proposed topicand will notinterfere with your ability to report objectively.

You must show a workable plan to accomplish your project. This entails making sure that your project is feasible and appropriate considering the award amount as well as the time frame you are proposing. Provide us with details showing that you have worked out a proposal that can realistically be accomplished. Thus, if you are proposing to work with an organization, can you provide us with communication between the organization and yourself? Who do you plan on interviewing and how do you plan to contact them?The plan of deliverables (articles, photographs, video, audio, etc) will be negotiated with the Pulitzer Center following selection of recipients.

Thus your proposal should focus on the issue, the stories you want to tell, and what kinds of travel, research, and people that you will need to tell those stories. Seek out faculty members or experts (such as think-tanks, non-profits, or businesses) who are knowledgeable about your subject or destination in order to draw on their expertise and experience. The Program staff can suggest professors who may be of assistance.

We are not in the business of paying for your vacation. Your project ought to be fun, but it should also have merit (and the committee can usually see through attempts to fake the latter). Do research, find out what you can reasonably expect to accomplish and how much you should expect it to cost (if you’re going to India, estimating $30/day as living expenses is excessive; if you’re going to Sweden, it may be entirely realistic), and then make your budget as specific as possible. If you are unsure of how well your proposal answers these questions or whether it is sufficiently detailed, ask the Dean Rusk Fellow to read it and give you suggestions.

Your proposal is your chance to show us that you are serious about your project and able to complete it — use this chance wisely.

3) FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE FORMS FOR YOUR APPLICATION.

  • Please note that while we will no longer require an “Independent Project Evaluation Form,” we do plan to contact your references with questions, so make sure they know that you have listed them. Make sure your references are available and able to answer any questions we have about your research. You are welcome to have them submit a letter of reference if you would like.
  • If your project requires you to use a foreign language, you also must ask a member of the appropriate language department to complete the attached Foreign Language Proficiency Evaluation form.

4)LOOK FOR OUTSIDE FUNDING IF NECESSARY.

The grant amount has been calculated such that it should be able to cover the total costs of your trip. If that is not the case, we encourage you to look for alternative sources of money. You can talk to someone at the Program or a professor who helped you design your proposal for ideas. Try your local Rotary Club or church, get a job, and do whatever you need to do to indicate to the Committee that you are committed to your project (as opposed to having a “sure, if it’s free I’ll go” attitude). If you make a sincere effort to help pay for extra expenditure, we will take your proposal more seriously.

5)EDIT, EDIT, EDIT.

Read and re-read your application before you hand it in — make sure that it is understandable, that your commas are in the right place, and that spell-check didn’t miss anything. Please follow the formatting guidelines indicated on the application. Make a good impression; it shows that your project is important to you.

6)SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ON TIME.

No late applications will be accepted after 5pm on the due date! Please submit applications electronicallyto Meg Sawicki at .

7) REQUIREMENTS.

In the case that you accept a Dean Rusk / Pulitzer Center Travel Reporting Grant, you will be required to sign an acceptance form in which you will make the following agreements:

1)To use the funds for the proposed project, abide by any additional requirements mandated by the Dean Rusk International Studies Program’s International Education Committee (IEC) stated in the grant letter, and to contact Dean Rusk for approval of any changes to the trip before they occur.

Note:Since this grant requires equipment such as video cameras, still cameras, and editing software, Dean Rusk will work with recipients to ensure that they have the equipment they need. ITS allows students to rent equipment for academic purposes free of cost, but we suggest you talk to them to make sure they will have the equipment or software you may need during the summer.

The Dean Rusk Program will not provide funds for the purchase of technological items that will have a useful life beyond your trip abroad.For example, Dean Rusk grant funds may not be used to purchase cameras ortape recorders. If youuse grant funds to purchase items of this nature, they will be considered property of Davidson College and must be returned to Dean Rusk upon completion of your project. If you have questions about whether or not a particular item falls into this category, ask the Dean Rusk Program staff before you submit your proposal.

2)To collect receipts totaling the amount of the grant or greater and provide a full-budget ledger accounting for all funds granted and used.If you receive funds through other grants on campus (Staley, Abernethy, etc.) you must present different receipts to Dean Rusk from those you present to other programs.

3)To adhere to and sign the Pulitzer Center’s Ethics and Standards Policy.

4)To complete your project and responsibilities agreed upon with the Pulitzer Center by the beginning of the fall semester.

5)To fill out a Grant Report Form, and write a three-page essay about your experiencesabroad.

6)To share your experiences with other students through talks, participation in panels,visits to schools, etc. at the request of the Dean Rusk International Studies Program, and agree to any additional reporting conditions mandated by the FAC as communicated to you by the Program.

7)You may be required to repay a portion of your grant if you choose to terminate theproposed trip early. The Dean Rusk Program staff retains the authority to determine the sum of such a reimbursement. This does not apply to cases in which early termination results from developments beyond your control.

If you are awarded a grant, you must also fill out a proof of medical insurance coverage form. You MUST have medical insurance that covers you while you will be abroad in order to receive your grant award. You will need to check with your insurance company about your policy. If you do not have this coverage, we can recommend a $35 per month policy.

9) FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In the past the Committee has voiced concern about merely sending people home. If you have a proposal for a project in your home country, address that issue up front — explain why giving you a grant would be more than just paying you to see your family.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator, Meg Sawicki, at 704-894-2440 or .

DEAN RUSK INTERNATIONAL STUDIES PROGRAM / PULITZER CENTER

TRAVEL REPORTING GRANT APPLICATION

All information must be included.

Date:

Name:

Davidson Campus Mailbox:

Contact Phone Number:

Davidson College ID: ______

Class (underline or circle):20152016 2017

Declared Major/Minor:

  1. Where the project will take place:
  1. Maximum 250 word description of project:
  1. When grant is to be used (month/year) and approximate duration of project: Week(s)

Note: A grant recipient may be required to repay a portion of his/her grant if the trip is terminated early. The Dean Rusk Program staff retains the authority to determine the sum of such a reimbursement. This does not apply to cases in which early termination results from developments beyond the grant recipient’s control.

  1. Total amount project is expected to cost: $______
  1. Please indicate all other potential or actual sources of funding for this project

(Including other grants, personal savings, family contribution, Davidson College scholarships for summer travel/research etc.). Requested/Anticipated Actual

(_)Personal Savings: $______$______

(_)Family Contribution: $ ______$______

(_)Abernethy: $______$______

(_)Community Service: $______$______

(_)McCall (Chaplain’s): $______$______

(_)Staley (Chaplain’s):$______$______

(_)Kemp:$______$______

(_)Warner Hall:$______$______

(_)Other (please describe below)*$______$______

TOTAL Potential/Actual Funds: $______$______

  1. Amount requested from the Dean Rusk International Studies Program: $______

(Total amount of project – personal funds and other grants = amount requested)

  1. Have you had previous experience abroad? If so, please describe briefly.

(_)No

(_)Yes

  1. Have you received any previous grants from the Dean Rusk Program?

(_)No

(_)Yes When (mm/yr): ______How much: $______

For what trip______

  1. Have you already, or do you plan to study abroad while at Davidson? If so, when?
  1. What effect would lack of a Dean Rusk grant or an amount less than requested have on your travel plans?

(_)No effect

(_)Some effect

(_)Significant effect

(_)Cancellation of plans

  1. Please list two references with whom you have discussed your program/project plans and who can provide insight beyond a character reference when we contact them.

At least one must be a Davidson College faculty member, but if it is appropriate for one to come from outside the college community, their work and relationship to you must be substantively related to your project or program. If your grant request is for an organized Davidson College program, you must only provide the name of your program coordinator/leader. Make sure they are available and able to answer questions about your program/project.

  1. Faculty Reference:______

Department:______

Contact Phone Number:______

Contact Email Address:______

  1. Second Reference:______

Department (if applicable):______

Contact Phone Number:______

Contact Email Address:______

  1. Please attach a budget for your project. Use as much detail as possible. Please include other sources of funding in the breakdown of your total cost and total requested amounts.

Note: The Dean Rusk Program will not provide funds for the purchase of technological items that will have a useful life beyond your trip abroad. For example, you may not use Dean Rusk grant funds to purchase cameras ortape recorders.Do not include these items in your project budget. If youuse grant funds to purchase items of this nature, Davidson College will either take possession of those items or ask you to pay back a sum equal to the purchase price. If you have questions about whether or not a particular item falls into this category, ask the Dean Rusk Program staff before you submit your proposal.

  1. Please attach a description of your proposed project and how a grant would be used. Explain in as much detail as possible what you plan to do, why you want to do it, and what you think the project will allow you to contribute to the Davidson community.
  1. Signature/Pledge:______

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BE SURE YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE DEADLINE.

NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED FORMS

If your project involves using a foreign language in your independent project (conducting interviews in another language and/or reading materials printed in another language), then you must ask a language instructor to complete a Foreign Language Proficiency Evaluation Form.