World Affairs Council of Jacksonville: 2023-2024 Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Application

The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville is pleased to announce its annual Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Scholarship Program.

The scholarships (up to $2,000) are designed to recognize and encourage students enrolled at Edward Waters University, Flagler College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University or the University of North Florida whose academic program and/or future interests include pursuing a career in international business, public policy, foreign affairs or military service.
The scholarship awards may be applied towards educational activities with an international focus (to be completed between May - December 2023). In the past, supported international experiences have included study abroad programs and foreign internships/volunteer programs. 

Specifically, the funds are awarded to:

1. Help defray costs of an international experience outside the United States as part of the recipient’s educational development.

2. Provide an opportunity for the recipient to further his/her knowledge of cultures, languages, and societies outside of the United States.

    Eligibility

    In order to be eligible for an award, an applicant must:
    • Be a full-time student attending Edward Waters College, Flagler College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville University or the University of North Florida
    • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (undergraduate)/3.5 (graduate) on a 4.0 scale
    • Have been accepted to a specific international program that the scholarship will support (study abroad trip or foreign internship/volunteer project)
    Requirements

    The application deadline is March 21, 2023. 

    Applications will be reviewed by the Council’s Education Committee and the Committee will evaluate the submissions based on academic merit, the relevance of the proposed international experience for the personal, intellectual and professional development of the candidate, as well as the ability to demonstrate a range of knowledge and critical thinking skills in the essay submitted.

    Scholarship finalists will be invited to participate in a panel interview on Friday, April 7, 2023.

    The scholarship recipients are expected to complete a short-answer questionnaire and submit a reflection essay (250-500 words) upon conclusion of the program/activity regarding the educational/personal outcomes from the international experience.

    All funds will be distributed through the Office of Financial Aid at the respective college/university before Summer Break 2023.

    Application Materials

    In order for your application to be complete, please UPLOAD the following materials in ONE combined PDF at the end of this application.

    TRAVEL EXPENSES FORM
    This form can be downloaded here.

    IMPACT STATEMENT
    Provide a detailed explanation of the proposed international experience’s impact on your personal, academic, and professional life. How will this experience help you reach future academic, career or service goals? 

    The impact statement must be typed (12 point font size and double spaced) and may not exceed 500 words.

    GLOBAL ISSUE ESSAY
    Please submit an essay on a global issue that interests you and explain why. Share your insight into the complexity that exists as a result of multiple countries attempting to address or not address a solution. The essay must be typed (12 point font size and double spaced) and may not exceed 1,000 words. For such a short essay, we recommend that you focus upon a narrow issue that you can describe comprehensively. For example, climate change or the refugee crisis are huge topics, but some aspect of them could explored effectively. You are not required but encouraged to use reputable sources and to cite them appropriately.

    REFERENCE
    The World Affairs Council of Jacksonville requires one reference letter (academic endorsement) from a college/university instructor, department chair or dean to be considered for the scholarship. 

    The author of your reference letter of support must send the letter by email to 
    Devynne Duke (devynne@worldaffairscounciljax.org).

    The letter must arrive no later than March 21, and it must include the contact information for your reference.

    Please inform the author of your reference letter that they may be contacted by the World Affairs Council to discuss their support of your application in detail, and that they have your permission to discuss your academic record and performance as it relates to the application.
    Personal Information





    Academic Information






    Honors and Activities


    Proposed International Experience




    Application Material Upload

    The application materials required are outlined in this application further above. If not submitted either through this drop box or by email, your application will be incomplete and therefore not reviewed.

    If you have ANY issues with uploading your material, please send the requested material to Devynne Duke (devynne@worldaffairscounciljax.org) with the subject line: [LAST NAME] AMB MCAFEE APPLICATION

    By submitting this application, you agree to the following:

    1. I certify that the information submitted as part of this application is true and complete.

    2. If I am awarded scholarship funds, I agree to use these funds only to attend the program indicated in this application under “Proposed International Experience.” Should I decide to apply the funds awarded differently than outlined in this application, I agree to alert the Council and request permission before disbursing any funds.

    3. If chosen for an Ambassador Marilyn McAfee scholarship award, I agree to complete a short-answer questionnaire and submit a reflection essay (250-500 words) upon conclusion of the program/activity regarding the educational/personal outcomes from the international experience.

    Contact Information