Students Awarded Scholarships for Study Abroad
Through the Student Affairs/Student Government Travel Scholarship Program, 10 Fairmont
State students have been selected to receive scholarships for a study tour experience
sponsored by the West Virginia Folklife Center.
The July 4-18 "Roads to Appalachia" trip to Scotland, Northern Ireland and The Republic
of Ireland will explore the roots of Appalachian culture. The trip is arranged by
National Travel of Morgantown and Portland, Ore., in collaboration with Globus Special
Tours, as a custom tour created by the W.Va. Folklife Center at FSU.
The Student Affairs/Student Government Travel Scholarship Program is a competitive
program in which students apply for travel scholarships, write an essay and go through
an interview process. The 10 students selected were chosen to be part of the "Roads
to Appalachia through Scotland and Ireland Study Program." The scholarships help the
students cover two-thirds of their travel expenses.
Students are preparing for the travel study by taking a pre-tour class, Folklore
3399, the Scotland and Ireland Study Program, offered this semester. In the class,
the students research, analyze and present the history and culture of the sites and
areas to be visited on the actual tour. The students will continue their course while
on the tour through extensive journal writing, photography and artifact collecting.
When they return, they will serve as culture ambassadors for college and community
organizations. Each student is creating an oral presentation of an aspect of the travel
experience.
"Travel is the ultimate equalizer and educator," said Dr. Judy P. Byers, Director
of the W.Va. Folklife Center. "The trip brings together people of many interests,
ages and opportunities. The students are gaining valuable knowledge not only about
travel, but also about the cultures of Scotland and Ireland. This comparative study
is meaningful to our students because many of the cultural influences in the language
and social patterns in Appalachia have their genesis in the British Isles."
Students receiving scholarships are Leslie Bledsoe of Fairmont; Terri Boyce of Grafton;
Michael Hayes of Farmington; Caren McCormick of Fairmont; Ashley McDaniel and Andrea
McDaniel of Newburg, W.Va.; Johnny Piscitelli of Fairmont; Jason Pitzer of Hambleton,
W.Va.; Michelle Robertson of Myersdale, Pa.; and Miranda Webber of Fairmont.
Another component of the program is a GEAR UP Teacher Institute for teachers from
the Fairmont State GEAR UP Grant Partnership service area. The teachers will be preparing
units, lessons and other teaching resources to present to their students during the
2005-2006 academic year. They will be a part of a pre-tour Teacher Institute that
will be held June 23-24 at FS. The FS scholarship students will also be a part of
the institute.
Participating teachers are Guy Linda Moyer of Taylor County Middle School and Grafton
High School; Rebecca Nicholas of Taylor County Middle School; Eileen Poling of Tucker
Valley Middle School; Amy Reynolds of Tucker Valley Middle School; Patricia Schumacher
of Doddridge County Middle School, Erica Wilson of Doddridge County Middle School
and Carolyn Wotring of Preston High School.
For more information, call Dr. Judy P. Byers at (304) 367-4286 or (304) 367-4403
or e-mail her at jbyers@fairmontstate.edu.
