Deadline to Apply for Costa Rica Summer 2005 Scholarship 4:00 p.m., Thursday, January 26, 2006

Full and partial scholarships will be awarded to worthy TCC students studying Spanish to participate in the TCC-sponsored foreign language study abroad program in San José, Costa Rica, during the summer of 2006. To be eligible students must meet all of the following criteria:

• have accumulated a minimum of 10 credit hours by January 1 at TCC with a GPA of no less than 2.5
• be currently enrolled in at least 6 credit hours
• have completed at least one course in Spanish with a grade of "B" or better within the last year at TCC;
• have completed no higher level than Spanish 102 (students currently enrolled in 203 are eligible);
• may not have significant living or studying abroad experiences in a Spanish-speaking country;
• may not have significant native or near-native speaker advantages.

Students who wish to apply must:

1. Submit a completed Application for Foreign Language Scholarship-Spanish, along with a one page (typed, single-spaced) proposal written in English stating:

a. what you have gained from your Spanish study at TCC
b. the reasons for choosing to participate in the program
c. the benefits that you will gain as a result of participating in the program

2. Inform all former and current TCC Spanish instructors of your scholarship application and request an evaluation from each. Ask your instructors to send the evaluation directly and confidentially to the Office of International Programs. This evaluation addresses your overall class performance and how the program may possibly benefit you.

3. Agree to an oral proficiency interview in Spanish, if so chosen by the screening committee.

4. Agree to be available to share the study abroad experience with classes and other College groups and to help with recruitment for the following year either in person or on video film.

Interested students must submit the written proposal and request that their language instructor(s) submit the evaluation form to the International Programs office no later than 4:00 p.m., Thursday,January 26, 2006. No applications nor evaluations can be accepted after that time and date. Oral interviews will be scheduled the second week in February for those chosen by the screening committee, and students will be notified of the committee's decision by the last week in February.

International Programs Office
Tidewater Community College

Virginia Beach Campus

Blackwater Room C-125
1700 College Crescent
Virginia Beach, VA 23453

For further information you may contact:

Norfolk Campus -- Silvina Doncel, sdoncel@tcc.edu (Room 2407, Martin Bldg.) - 822-1115
Chesapeake Campus -- Kathy O'Connor -- 822-5214
Virginia Beach Campus -- Dr. Jeanne Natali ( Blackwater Room C-125) -- 822-7193
Virginia Beach Campus -- Patrick Brady -- 822-7426 and Linda Jensen -- 822-7374

Portsmouth Campus -- Gabriela Toletti -- 822-2402