Hello Everyone!
I'm feeling very grateful as I continue making travel plans for this summer, and wanted to share a bit about the travel funding I was awarded earlier this year. It is with great privilege I get to travel Europe and Asia, and a majority of my expenses are being covered through a grant from Georgia Tech.
As far as I understand, Joe Mundy was a huge fan of international travel. And, recognizing the benefit young students could gain from these experiences, he started a fund through the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech. Its sole purpose: to fund student's international travel... for work, conferences, research, and the best part - for people who simply want to GET OUT THERE! :D
My efforts to receive the award involved two very late nights in mid April compiling essays, travel itineraries and budgets, and filling out applications. I found out last minute about this award, and scrambled to pull an app together when I realized 1) I was eligible (even as a graduating senior) and 2) the deadline was in like..2 days. This sounded too good to be true! And, at some point during the hectic days, I mentioned the Mundy to my friend Luke... which would prove to be very beneficial (Luke ends of getting a grant, too. And Luke ends up inviting me to China! And thus, Heather ends up adding Asia to her itinerary!!
Finals, senior design, and graduation pass. Still no word of Mundy. Luke knows he got it wayyy before me. I'm in Austin when I get the email notification in mid May. (Thank you data plan and iphone!!) My future roommate, Rachel, is the first non-family member to find out with me. We're apartment hunting and chilling in the car before heading in to a viewing (which, turns out to be the one we pick. Fate?)
The Mundy Fund is very generous. Both Luke and I get the travel money we proposed for. And a girl going abroad to study at a Beekeeping Cooperative in Paraguay. How do I know this? After my initial excitement of reading the first 'Congratulations' in the award letter, my heart skips another beat when I read the part about supporting my study of beekeeping coop in Paraguay. What?!? Was this letter sent to the wrong person? Or, am I being reassigned? Paraguay. Where is that? And anyone that knows me knows I am very scared of bees. This might be interesting...
I get my award letter sorted after (admin copy error), and I am officially being supported for my travels to Europe! :)
Amount: $3,941.00
Time: Summer 2011
Commitment afterwards: Provide Pictures and a summary of Travel experiences.
Bank account plump and sponsorship by GT. Now, let's go prepare to the best of times! :D
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