General Information

What is global citizenship? How does it play out in this crazy world? We need to know. And we need you to show us. Live It! : The Institute for Global Citizenship Student Council (IGCSC) Fund seeks to enable students to:

• design and live out their own definitions of global citizenship;
• develop the individual’s (or group’s) capacity to enact social change;
• contribute to the common good;
• bring your project back to Mac and share your discoveries here.

Projects will be unique and personal and therefore will reflect the creativity and form that you (or your group) think best embodies global citizenship.

In short: You. Define. It.

Criteria for grant recipients:

• Students may only apply for funding for one project per year;
• There can only be one Live It! Fund application per project;
• Students must be rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors, or be current seniors working with a group that includes rising sophomores, juniors and/or seniors. This insures the project will be effectively brought back to Macalester during the fall term;
• Proposals may request no less than $500 and no more than $10,000.

Please note:  Macalester College does not allow students to participate in a college sponsored initiative in countries or areas within countries that are under a State Department Travel Warning.
See http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html for a current list.

Timeline for selection process:

• February 6 and 11, 4:30-6pm and February 7 and 12, 8:30-10pm:  Optional open house in the IGC. You can e-mail igcsc@macalester.edu at any time with questions and we will get back to you.
• February 16 at 11:59pm: Students propose a project through a formal application due to igcsc@macalester.edu.
• February 25 The IGCSC will grant interview invitations on the basis of council-wide consensus and will inform applicants of their status (rejected or advancing to an interview). Advancing applicants will receive feedback on their applications to be revised prior to interviewing.
• February 25 to March 4: Interviews take place.
• March 18: Final decisions about awarded grants will be announced. 

In the spring, recipients will participate in a series of two or three forums on global citizenship and respond to these forums in blog posts that relate the discussion to their own projects. When completing the projects over the summer, students also post reflections and updates to the blog. Upon returning to campus, they will be asked to write a final report on their project (between five and ten pages) and participate in a panel discussion. See Recipient Required Timeline for more information.

On our website you will find examples of past projects. Use them to gauge how well your idea fits the above goals and criteria. Sample project abstracts are also available on the website. You will also find the criteria that the IGCSC will use to evaluate proposals and award funding.

It is advisable to contact the IGCSC about your application before submitting. Please direct questions to igcsc@macalester.edu with “Question about Live It! – Your Name” in the subject line. The IGCSC will also be hosting questionnaire sessions about Live It! Fund for potential applicants on February 1 and 2 from 5-7 p.m. in the IGC.