University of North Carolina Center for Global Initiatives

Purpose

In order to enrich the flow of ideas among students, the Center for Global Initiatives is pleased to fund Student Learning Circles.  These circles receive funding for an academic year to support activities such as speaker series, brown bags, workshops, publications, film screenings, and service-learning projects. In addition to promoting the academic work of students, the goal of these Student Learning Circles is also to deepen the work of the Center.  We therefore expect students involved in these circles to become active members of our community.

Eligibility and Restrictions

Any enrolled graduate or undergraduate student is eligible to propose a Student Learning Circle.

We require that the circle’s core members represent at least 4 different departments or schools, and we prefer the circles to be a mix of graduate and undergraduate students.

We also require each circle to find a faculty member who can serve as a advisor.

PLEASE NOTE: No funds may be used to pay a student or member of the group.

Available Funding

Research circles receive up to $2,000, of which a maximum of $250 may be used for food.

Evaluation of Applicants

Reviewers assign points to each application based on the following rubric:

• Feasibility and Planning (max. 5 points)
  Are the plans for this Circle adequate and appropriate to achieve its short- and long-term goals?
  Is the proposal specific and well-written?
• Need and Importance (max. 5 points)
  Is there a clear need for the applicants to receive this award in order to conduct this work?
  What is the nature and importance of the proposed Circle to the field?
• Impact (max. 5 points)
  Will the Circle provide academic and professional development for its members?
  What is the interdisciplinary nature of the Circle's members?
  Will UNC-Chapel Hill benefit from this circle?
• Budget (max. 5 points)
  Is the budget clear, adequate, reasonable, and justified?

Notification of Award

Applicants will receive award or rejection notices via email 1-2 weeks after submitting an application. Please do not contact the Center for Global Initiatives to inquire about the status of your application during this time frame. However, if you have not received a notice 3 weeks after you submit your application, please inform us.

Reporting Requirements

If you receive this award, you will be required to submit a final report at the conclusion of the project using the Center for Global Initiatives' Online Reporting System. This system collects narratives and data about funded projects to enable the Center to determine whether its programmatic purposes are being met.

Application Instructions

The online application includes specific instructions.

Contact Information

Niklaus Steiner
Director, Center for Global Initiatives