Study Abroad Ambassador Scholarship
Students participating in our study abroad programs will be chosen to document to the study abroad experience from their host country and receive a grant. Winners will be chosen based upon their submission and portfolio strength.
While abroad, each Ambassador will take photos regularly on behalf of the Study Abroad Office, which will retain ownership of these photos after the student has returned. Students selected will provide interesting and creative images reflecting UMBC’s values of diversity and inclusion. This grant is not intended for students who wish to share a series of selfies or focus on travel highlights. Students will need to provide their own camera to document their experience while abroad.
Ambassadors will also create blog posts while they are abroad. Posts should cover a wide-variety of subjects concerning study abroad, academics, culture shock, and engaging in the location culture.
For more information on grant requirements, refer to the drop downs below:
- Post regularly on the following social media during the program: Facebook, myUMBC, Twitter, Instagram.
- (Location & quantity requirements)
- Do a one-day Instagram takeover on behalf of UMBC’s Instagram account while abroad.
- Be interviewed by UMBC News and sit for a video testimonial at the end of the program.
- Ambassadors will write blog posts of at least 250 words according to a pre-determined schedule based on your program.
- Included in the quantity will be one pre- and one post-travel post.
- Posts will include topics discussing program activities, interactions of the students with the local culture, and insights and reflections on the experience.
- Posts will be created in a Word document and emailed to our staff to be posted, there is no requirement for website or blogging use or experience.
- Prior student blogs can be found here as an example of what is expected.
- Attend a photography training workshop conducted by the Office of Institutional Advancement on (date). (This step is neither optional nor negotiable).
- Submit a portfolio of at least 30 high-quality photos at the conclusion of the program.
Submit by email a statement that includes the following:
- What kind of phone or other photographic tools do you have
- Your agreement to the conditions of the grant requirement
- A statement that explains why you want to be a UMBC Ambassador, detail your regular use of social media, how you would best promote study abroad to UMBC students, and how you plan to share your study abroad experience with others.
- Submit 5 photos that show an experience you enjoyed, that you’re proud of that that tell a story (send in largest file size possible)
All applicants will be notified of their status by e-mail.
Awardees will receive the grant in the form of a reduction to their study abroad program fee. They will also receive UMBC gear to take abroad for photo opportunities.