Scholarships That Inspire: Share Your Passion for the Global Community
Education is becoming more and more integrated with virtual learning and now you have access to virtual programs that connect you with people and ideas from different continents. Continuing to engage with people of different backgrounds, and learning about new cultures is vital even if travel opportunities are limited.
Education is becoming more and more integrated with virtual learning and now you have access to virtual programs that connect you with people and ideas from different continents. Continuing to engage with people of different backgrounds, and learning about new cultures is vital even if travel opportunities are limited.
Scholarships that increase access to programs are integral to any program, which is why we’re proud to present exciting scholarship opportunities for our virtual programs .
Students are highly encouraged to apply for EdOdyssey’s merit-based scholarship opportunities, and to share with the EdOdyssey team what excites and inspires them about the world. EdOdyssey does its absolute best to provide all students with access to affordable programs so that students of all backgrounds, identities, and socioeconomic statuses are able to learn, explore, discover, and connect with global societies.
SHARE YOUR PASSION FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
Our scholarship prompts enable you to reflect on your experiences, passions, and inspirations, and to share some of this with the EdOdyssey team. Learn more below about the ways you can convey your passions and desire to explore global perspectives with the EdOdyssey scholarship committee.
Both of our scholarship prompts encourage you to share your personal experiences, interests, and inspirations, while thinking about how they connect with international education. Global thinking and engagement are central to both of our two prompts for our virtual programs that you’ll see below.
The prompts ask you to reflect on the EdOdyssey values and mission, as well as your personal experiences.
1. Young Global Citizen
This prompt focuses on EdOdyssey’s vision for students to become Global Citizens. Global Citizens are always looking to expand their knowledge of the world, gain an international scope of social problems and systems, and develop crucial communication and cultural competency skills to understand people from unique backgrounds.
The first option within this prompt is to describe an international leader who you look up to and discuss the qualities which make them an inspiring global citizen. The second option asks you to be more introspective and explain what you would like to learn from the world as a global citizen.
It also challenges you to think about some new skills you could gain from EdOdyssey’s programs and how your global education could inspire others to also become global citizens.
2. A Diverse and Connected World
This second prompt focuses on the highly connected world which all of us are a part of and how you expand your understanding of humanity from international exposure. The prompt asks you to indicate a time when you had a meaningful interaction with someone, or a group of people, from a different background, culture, or country than your own.
Follow up questions will guide your response as you think about how this interaction influences your desire to engage in international studies, and connect with people of different cultures or backgrounds from your own. Additionally, we ask you to think more broadly about the importance of meaningful dialogue or shared experiences with people of different backgrounds.
CHOOSING A SUBMISSION THAT REFLECTS YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL
You are encouraged to use your talents and submit the application material that you believe best represents you as a person and learner, and that demonstrates your strengths and passions. The options for submission are a Poetry Portfolio, two short written responses, one long essay response, a video, or Photography. All submissions require some sort of written component, whether it is the essay option, or a caption to accompany a video or photography submission.
SUBMISSION EVALUATion
Our scholarship committee judges entries based on how well participants reflect our company values of Authenticity, Positivity, Harmony, Passion, Professionalism, and Adaptability. Additionally, students are encouraged to reflect on our motto “Travel Changes People, People Change the World” and how it relates to their journey.
Our scholarship committee looks for insightful responses from enthusiastic students who are excited to open themselves to new experiences from different cultures. Organization of the essay or entry and whether the student responded to the prompt completely will also be taken into consideration when evaluating entries.
CREATIVE FREEDOM
The goal of these scholarships is to enable excited and eager learners to participate in EdOdyssey’s virtual programs. While our team asks that you follow the scholarship instructions and guidelines, we also want to encourage creativity and allow some flexibility.
The various submission options allow you to showcase your best style of work, and be able to respond to either one or both prompts depending on your preference. High quality, thoughtfully created submissions are what we are looking for and excited to receive from you! Scholarships are available for students registered in any Virtual Study Abroad program or the Virtual Medical Spanish course.
As a company that values authenticity, we look forward to hearing your experiences and learning about how your personal passions, experiences, goals, and interests relate to international education.
To learn more about EdOdyssey’s new virtual programs, head over to the EdOdyssey website!
Want tips on creating the perfect entry?
Ready to start your virtual scholarship?
Turning Youth Travel into Study Abroad: Sarah's Story
My name is Sarah Shorter and I’m really excited to be a content writer and curator intern with EdOdyssey this summer! During my first three years at the College of the Holy Cross, my double major in Anthropology and Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean studies has increased my appreciation of global cultures. This interest led me to study abroad with EdOdyssey in Lima, Peru, where I matured academically, socially, and personally.
My name is Sarah Shorter and I’m really excited to be a content writer and curator intern with EdOdyssey this summer! During my first three years at the College of the Holy Cross, my double major in Anthropology and Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean studies has increased my appreciation of global cultures. This interest led me to study abroad with EdOdyssey in Lima, Peru, where I matured academically, socially, and personally.
Me competing in Austria!
Photo Credit: Synchrophoto.eu
PASSION FOR TRAVEL GROWING UP
Since my youth, I have had the privilege to travel throughout the U.S. and to numerous parts of the world. A large portion of my travel, particularly internationally, was to competitions with my synchronized ice skating team. The main focus of these trips was always the competition, yet my team would often have a few opportunities to explore the city we were visiting before the competition began.
For five years, I was incredibly fortunate to compete on behalf of Team USA in 7 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, expanding my global perspective. Visiting and competing in other countries not only enabled me to view different cultures and societal differences, but it also was a unique opportunity to connect with people around the world who share the same passion as me. At competitor parties and banquets, the love of synchronized skating connected people from very different backgrounds.
Having extensively traveled for skating and taken some family trips to Europe and other regions of the U.S., I was ready to channel my inner anthropologist and plant myself during my junior year of college in a completely new country, not as a tourist, but as a global citizen.
My goal was to not only SEE the differences and similarities that Peru has with my home of Lexington, Massachusetts, but to actually LIVE and UNDERSTAND them. I wanted to truly become a part of the community.
Visiting Machu Picchu with EdOdyssey!
STUDYING IN PERU
Having learned a lot about other cultures and various aspects of Latin America through my two majors, I was drawn to the idea of studying abroad in Peru. The well organized and supportive program which EdOdyssey has in Peru made my decision to study abroad in Lima much easier. It also helped me convince my parents that I should spend a year
I distinctly remember my pre-departure phone call with the EdOdyssey team in Lima. I hadn’t spoken Spanish in about 6 months and I was sweating from nerves as I got on the call. Yet when the call ended and my Dad asked me how it went, I was enthusiastic, excited, and confident that I would be totally fine when I got to Lima the next month.
The Lima team: Patty, Luis, and Narda, are the absolute BEST!
Celebrating my host parents’ 50th anniversary
THE PERUVIAN EXPERIENCE
Once I got over some fears and embraced all the unknowns and unfamiliarities that defined my new home of Lima, Peru, becoming a global citizen is exactly what I did! During my 7 months in Peru (before COVID unfortunately frantically had me packing to come back to the states), I learned to dance salsa, to use Peruvian slang, and to embrace “Peruvian time”.
I became friends with Peruvian classmates, and bonded with my host family. Having had this incredible experience, in large thanks to the EdOdyssey team, I am immensely grateful to be able to continue to work with EdOdyssey. Traveling and engaging with different cultures, peoples, and places is an invaluable privilege and opportunity.
Enjoying the Sand Dunes during EdOdyssey’s Ica excursion!
One of the greatest things I learned in Peru was that being courageous, taking chances, and following your passions will lead to some of the most rewarding experiences. As I look ahead to my future after college, I hope to get the chance to live abroad again. I am still discerning what my future plans will be, yet I have no doubt that the lessons I learned in Peru will be an integral part of anything I pursue.
Do you want to learn a bit more about the special EdOdyssey team members who made my experience in Lima a brilliant one?
Be sure to check out the blog Q&A: Meet EdOdyssey’s Local Team in Lima, Peru to learn more about the amazing team that supported, guided, and challenged me throughout my time abroad!