About Us & Activities

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ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP:

This award provides an opportunity for a secondary teacher from the central Shenandoah Valley area to take courses in a British university during the summer of 2016 in order to pursue a scholarly and pedagogical interest and gain some direct acquaintance with the British people. It is designed to support the purpose of the English-Speaking Union: the promotion of understanding, good will and peaceful cooperation among all the people of the world who speak the English language. Since the award winner will represent the Lexington Branch of the English-Speaking Union to the British people, we expect the candidate's thinking and interests to be compatible with the ESU's purpose.

The award winner chooses the British University and the intended course of study, but the applicant should indicate a preference for the kind of study at the time of the application. All subsequent arrangements, including those for university entrance, registration, passport, and travel to Great Britain, are the responsibility of the award winner.

The amount of the award covers the cost of two to three weeks of study at the selected university and a travel allowance. The award will be given in dollars according to the exchange rate at the time of the candidate's acceptance to the British program.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. The applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the central Shenandoah Valley area, and a faculty member at one of the area secondary schools with at least three (3) years of professional teaching experience.

2. The applicant should be possessed of the following:

a. Literary and scholastic ability in an academic field

b. Qualities of character: truthfulness, integrity, responsibility, sociability, and maturity.

c. A dedicated interest in teaching as a professional career

d. Good health

APPLICATIONS:

Applications can be typewritten or clearly handwritten. In the event that the space provided on the application is insufficient, the applicant should prepare and attach supplementary sheets.

The following must be furnished with the application:

A one-page statement explaining why the applicant supports the purpose of the English-Speaking Union and would like to study in the British Isles this coming summer. The applicant should give some indication of reading and background in related scholarly subjects. List any published work.

In addition, two letters of endorsement are required.

1. A letter from the principal of the school attesting to the applicant's character, scholarship, achievements, capacities, interest in teaching, leadership, etc.

2. A letter from a fellow faculty member attesting to the applicant's personal and professional qualifications.

Completed applications and endorsements must arrive by the deadline, Friday, January 15, 2016, in order to be considered. They can be either mailed or emailed to:

Dr. Maxwell Caskie
Scholarship Committee Chairman
254 Mount Vista Drive
Lexington, Virginia 24450-3918
mcaskie3@gmail.com

INTERVIEWS:

Finalists will be selected by the end of January, notified, and asked to appear before a selection committee in Lexington on a Saturday in February. The committee, which is permitted to reject all applications, will make its decision after the interviews. The winner will be expected to make a presentation regarding his/her UK experience at a designated meeting of the English- Speaking Union in the fall.

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION HERE