Undergraduate / Action plan (who/what/when/where/why): Follow-on project proposal essay [2]

Develop an action plan! Must state:
Who is the project geared towards
What is your project and what do you plan to do and achieve
When will your project take place - if working with an organization, will you do your
project on certain days/times?
Where will your project take place?
Why are you proposing this project?

For my follow-up service project I plan to target two different audiences, the first being the science major students at my campus. It seems like every student in my science department thinks our major is too difficult to incorporate in a study abroad program, I myself felt like that once. I feel this is due to the lack of interest my university shows in study abroad programs. As a result, not many science major students study abroad, in fact, I am the only one studying abroad this year. Being the only student at my campus that wants to study abroad had made everything really difficult to me. While other students get all the study abroad information from their university, I had to do all the research by myself. To prevent this from happening to another student, I will unravel the misconception that our curriculum is too rigorous for a study abroad program and I will help my university organize an informative guide about study abroad programs.

First, I will make sure every science major student knows that study abroad programs can work with their curriculum. My own experience will serve them as an assurance that this can be accomplish. In addition, I will inform them of other alternatives, such as taking electives abroad instead of required science courses. I will emphasize that the perfect time to complete the humanities, and literature credits is while studying abroad. Also, I will work with the academic advisors in the science department to make a study abroad pamplhet. A study abroad pamphlet would had help me a lot when I was searching for study abroad opportunities. I will include in the pamphlets a list of the courses I took while abroad, and I will make sure the list gets updated with new courses everytime a student goes abroad. In the future, the list could assure students that those courses will count towards their major. Hopefully, this will help increase the number of science major students studying abroad.

My second target audience will be high school students in Puerto Rico. High schools here lack of creative ideas that would encourage students to attend college. It is often commented between Puerto Ricans that we are always willing to travel because we feel trap in our small island. If any of this is true, the number of Puerto Ricans attending college could increase if we educate them of the endless possibilities of studying abroad while in college. I will work directly with high schools in my town to ensure that every student gets one of the study abroad pamphlets from my university. This project will be fairly easy to implement because my mother is a high school teacher, and her co-workers already expressed their desire to help me. I will be giving a presentation about study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship to their students.

In order to implement my project, I will use the Internet as my main tool. In today's society almost everyone uses the Internet to socialize with others. Facebook, and YouTube are used by high school and college students almost everyday. I plan to make a video on YouTube about my study abroad experience. I will take pictures and incorporate them in the video. Also, I plan to make a Facebook fan page about the Baron Scholarship and my study abroad experience. I will ask other Baron Scholarship recipients to join my facebook page and comment about their experience. With the help of the Internet, my follow-up project will impact students from all over the world.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advanced =)!!

Scholarship / "Where Spanish and American traditions merge" - Study abroad scholarship essay [9]

Giving me the opportunity to live and grow as a person in a country where Spanish and American traditions merge to make of it an unique and amazing place to live in, was one of the best things my parents could have ever done for me. While living in Puerto Rico, I not only have the joy of learning to speak two of the most widely spoken languages in the world: English and Spanish, but also to live surrounded by two different cultures. Here I can truly say I am living the best of both worlds. However, I feel the need to expand my knowledge and learn more about these two fascinating cultures that are part of my everyday life.

When I was twelve, I asked my parents If we could move to the state of Florida. I recall telling them, with the innocence and simplicity of a child, that I wanted to have a new experience and learn how it was to live life there. Those words did not mean much at that time, but after having lived in Florida for six years, I can now say it has been one of the greatest ideas I ever had. It gave me a chance to explore the American folklore. When I now celebrate Martin Luther King's day and the fourth of July, I can truly understand why so many Americans celebrate it with such pride and patriotism.

After six years in Florida I am back in Puerto Rico, this time as a matured college student. As I take different courses at my university, I keep hearing the same complains from professors; my generation is forgetting about the traditions and language our ancestors left us years ago. Anglicisms are becoming very popular among young Puerto Ricans, and I fear of making the same unforgivable mistakes as them. Spanish is a beautiful and romantic language when spoken correctly, it will be a shame if I do not try to improve my Spanish proficiency by studying abroad in Spain. This is why I know a semester abroad in Spain is what I need to gain consciousness of those mistakes. Spain is a very sophisticated country. It's historical and cultural monuments and its geographic position make Spain tourism industry the second-biggest(is this okay)? in the world. I do not know how can one hesitate and deny (themself, himself i don't know which one to use) from the experience of studying abroad in such an amazing country.

Even though I am aware that my country shares a deep history and traditions with Spain, the roots of this traditions are a mystery to me. Now that I know more about american traditions, I also want to be able to understand Spanish traditions. Spain is the only place where I am going to be able to understand the origin of those traditions. However, I am not twelve anymore and I cannot ask my parents to pay for my study abroad experience. This is why for the past two years I have been working and selling home made craft to save money and defray my study abroad expenses. The impact that receiving the Scholarship will have in my life is one that I cannot explain in words, the images on my Follow-on Project will say more than a thousand words. They will tell how the scholarship is more than just a grant to me, it's the foundation to the wonderful experience I hope to have abroad. This adventure is going to change my life forever. I know that this experience is vital to acquire new knowledge and it will enrich me in a personal and professional level.

Studying abroad will also help me understand how my profession is embrace in other parts of the world. My major is Biological Science, and although many of my fellow classmates have warned me about the challenges I might face when selecting my coursework in Spain, I am convinced that I will make everything work out. Many students in my major tendnot to or to not? study abroad, but I intend to be the exception. However, in order to be able to have the experience of studying abroad without jeopardizing my science major, I decided it was best for me to study one semester abroad instead of a whole year. I plan to study in the Complutense University of Madrid because it offers electives that my university does not offer. I am going to make sure that those electives I take in Madrid have an impact on me, in a personal and academical level. I am curious on how experiments are conducted in Spain and If they take in consideration the same bioethical issues that we take here in the United States. In addition, I will like to see what technology is available in Spain that might not be available in my university.

The Complutense University of Madrid has a magnificent study abroad program. It is one of the five universities in Spain that received the Campus of International Excellence Award by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. This university is widely known around the world, and it will be a great privilege if I could have the experience to study there. I feel that not only the university will have an impact in my life, but also the residence where I will be staying. While living in the university residence, I am not only going to live surrounded by Spaniards, but I am also going to be able to meet people from all over the world. I hope to come back from Spain with a new perspective on the ideas and investigations that develop around the world.

Nowdays, it is difficult to imagine a successful person that has not traveled. Traveling gives you a new perspective in life, and a chance to explore the world while acquiring new knowledge and abilities. Living in a globalized society, and having had this type of experience will open a lot of opportunities in the professional aspect of my life. I know that I will never regret studying abroad. This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I do not want to miss it. As I write this, my mind is full of ideas and goals I wish to accomplish in Spain. I am confident that I am going to fulfil my family and professor's high expectations. The Baron International Scholarship effort to help students have an opportunity to study abroad will not be in vain. The adventures and knowledge I will gain in Spain are going to influence my life for ever. I wait anxiously for February 2011.

Is it any good? x.x I need some help with punctuation =) Thank You!