Purpose
Through the generosity of the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation, each of the
nation's six Senior Military Colleges-The Citadel, North Georgia, Norwich, Texas
A&M, VMI, and Virginia Tech-receive annually a grant to sponsor summer travel
for up to three qualified commission-track cadets in order to foster in future
officers "a greater understanding and appreciation of people, languages,
and cultures of non-English speaking nations."
Eligibility Requirements
By the terms of the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation in financing the Olmsted
Cadet Travel and Cultural Immersion Program, "[t]he SMCs will give preference
to students who are proficient in the language of the nation they propose to
visit." Eligible for the awards allocated to The Citadel are outstanding
sophomore and junior, commission-track cadets who are enrolled in at least an
intermediate-level language course in French, German, or Spanish.
Terms of the Award
Depending upon available funds, each spring at The Citadel the Modern Languages,
Literatures and Cultures Department's Olmsted Committee, appointed by the department
head, will name recipients of Olmsted Cadet Travel and Cultural Immersion Program
grants. The Olmsted Committee will determine the number of grant recipients
based on the applicant pool and available funding. Each award will be primarily
funded by Olmsted monies and supplemented by The Citadel to afford recipients
an optimal experience abroad.
Maximizing the Pre-Immersion Experience
To assure the best possible experience, for which there is total accountability
in a structured program of study meriting academic credit, The Citadel prescribes
that recipients enroll in intensive language-training programs at accredited
institutes that offer suitable lodging, social interaction with local townspeople,
and opportunity for cultural enrichment. Recommended schools include Alliance
Française and FirstStep World School for Nice in France, the Goethe Institute
in Germany, and the Academia Latinoamericana in Bolivia, Ecuador, or Peru. Information
on these and other programs may be obtained from the faculty in Modern Languages,
Literatures and Cultures.
Identification of Candidates and Appointment Procedure
The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures Olmsted Committee
appointed by the department head and consisting of at least one permanent faculty
member from each of the languages offered will conduct the award process by
composing the application instrument and soliciting the cadet applications.
The department head will forward the committee nominations to the provost for
approval.
Logistical Procedures
Once the provost has notified the recipients by letter of their awards, by 15
February each spring, the faculty of the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures
and Cultures will advise recipients on choosing their project programs, enrolling
in courses, arranging travel and accommodations, and taking full advantage of
the pre-immersion experience. These faculty advisers in the Department of Modern
Languages, Literatures and Cultures will draft contracts with the recipients,
specifying what will be required of the students for the academic credit they
are to receive for their work abroad. Recipients will submit the required summary
report of their projects to their faculty advisers in the Department of Modern
Languages, Literatures and Cultures by 31 August.
Related question: e-mail Dr. Mark P. Del Mastro, Head of Modern Languages, Literatures & Cultures, The Citadel