Cargill Global Exchange Fund Scholarships

From AFSWiki

The Cargill Global Exchange Fund Scholarship program is a merit-based program benefiting high-school students in North America, Latin America, and Asia where the Cargill Corporation does business.

Scholarships are awarded to approximately 15 U.S. students and 15 students from Latin America and Asia. Before their semester or year participating in a core AFS program, Cargill Scholars visit their local Cargill facility, just as they do while abroad, to gain insight into multi-national businesses. The Cargill Global Youth Exchange scholarship is competitive, and recipients are chosen based on their academic achievement and strong passion for learning about other cultures and languages.

Contents 1 Basics 2 Destination Countries 3 Application & awarding processes 4 Characteristics of Cargill Global Exchange 5 Mailings and Recruiting: 6 Cargill & Volunteers, Promotional Materials:

Basics

Awards

15 $4000 partial scholarships will be awarded. Selection of the 15 winners will be based on merit and need.

Criteria:

1. Are between the ages of 15 and 18

2. Live within 50 miles of a Cargill Facility

• Zip Codes within 50 miles of a Cargill Facility
• Schools near Cargill Facilities (PDF)

3. Additional points awarded during judging to applicants with a family connection to Cargill

4. Leadership and community service experience

5. A strong passion for learning about other cultures and languages

6. Interest in a year or semester program in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, or Paraguay) or Asia (Hong Kong).

7. Have a record of academic achievement (3.0 and above)

Deadlines: Nomination form due: Dec 15th, 2008

• http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=45mezxyuTOn6Ow7Ri_2buw6g_3d_3d

Full Application (including interview) due: Jan. 30, 2009 (received)

• Cargill Essay Question 2009 (PDF)

Award Announcement: mid-March

Staff contact info:

Marilyn Stotts Sponsored Programs Sending Initiatives Program Specialist

Contact Marilyn for questions about Cargill sending and hosting requirements and for questions about program recruiting and selection.

Destination Countries

For the 2009 cycle, scholarships are available to the following countries:

• Hong Kong
• Paraguay
• Honduras
• Argentina
• Brazil

Application & awarding processes

• This is a competitive program (not all applicants will receive scholarships). Applicants will be selected based on the above criteria, and award amounts will be assigned according to financial need.
• In order to be considered, a student must meet the criteria listed above and must:

-> Be nominated by a member of their community. Please see this link to view the nomination form: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=45mezxyuTOn6Ow7Ri_2buw6g_3d_3d

-> Submit the full application to go abroad with AFS along with responses to several essay questions regarding their scholarship qualifications.

• Cargill scholarships in this cycle can be applied toward the tuition of a high school year or semester program departing in the summer/fall of 2009 to participating Cargill countries.
• Awards cannot be rolled over or deferred to a future year.
• Scholarships are also awarded to approximately 15 students from Latin American and Asia to be hosted in the US for a semester or year. These students meet the same selection criteria as the US students.

Characteristics of Cargill Global Exchange

• AFS and Cargill began working together in 2004 to create the Cargill Global Exchange scholarship in an effort to help form culturally perceptive citizens. The idea was spearheaded by Jed Hepworth, Cargill Vice-President and an AFSer to Chile in 1968.
• The program has grown from its pilot year to a three year agreement. The 2009 year is the third year in the current three year agreement.
• Cargill scholarship winners will visit a local Cargill facility before departure and in their host community. American students will visit a facility abroad, and students hosted in the US will visit a facility in the US.
• Students will be placed with host families in a community near a Cargill facility so they can be active members of Cargill communities. Latin American and Asian students must be placed within 50 miles of a Cargill facility in the US.
• Cargill scholarship winners will also complete pre- and post- program questionnaires, write a thank-you to Cargill, send a postcard from their host community and write an end-of-program essay after their return.

Mailings and Recruiting:

• Sponsored Program staff will send recruiting flyers, hosting flyers and nomination forms to Cargill facilities throughout the country.
• Sending Coordinators are invited to contact Cargill facilities in their area to raise interest in sending.
• Hosting Coordinators should contact Marilyn Stotts before reaching out to Cargill facilities.

Cargill & Volunteers, Promotional Materials:

• Sponsored Programs staff will send recruiting flyers to AFS volunteers to share with students in their area. If you would like any of the following flyers, please contact your regional sending manager.
• Note: there were post-publishing changes made to the Cargill scholarship requirements, please direct applicants to www.usa.afs.org for the most up-to-date information.

Host Family Flyer (pdf)

Cargill Flyer (pdf)

• There will be AFSOnline announcements throughout the cycle, noting each major date and mailing, as well as any ideas to increase recruitment.
• Volunteers may choose to help Cargill scholars schedule their visit to a Cargill facility. The specific facility to be visited is provided to Marilyn Stotts by Cargill. If you would like to be included on Marilyn’s contact to a specific student, please contact Marilyn.
• Cargill facility visits are not just for Cargill scholars! You may want to bring along a few additional AFSers to really show Cargill employees who we are and what we do!