elon}
Table of Contents | Updated 9/10/12 | |
The first Class of Periclean Scholars at Elon was recruited during the 2002/2003 academic year. In 2006, Elon won the President’s Higher Education Community Service Award; the award recognized Elon as one the country’s top three universities for community service, and Project Pericles was named as one of five exemplary service programs at Elon. Dr. Tom Arcaro, Elon’s Campus Director for Project Pericles, has been honored with the Daniels-Danieley Award for Teaching Excellence (2003-04), the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the Professor of the Year Award for the State of North Carolina (2006). President Lambert showered the 2006 Pericleans with words of praise at their graduation. Project Pericles has been very successful at Elon. However, all programs, even excellent ones, can benefit from self-reflection and assessment. Like departments campus wide, Periclean Mentors constantly engage in accessment activities in order to identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement. Now at the eleven year mark, we believe it is a good time to begin to record what we have learned as a program more formally. We hope that you find this handbook helpful and view it as a ‘living document’ to which your revisions or additions are most welcome.
–Heidi G. Frontani (2010 faculty Mentor) and Thomas Arcaro
Consider writing a three-year plan with your students during GST 272. Consider setting goals for fundraising, service hours, percentage of students to study in the country of study, student retention, number of SURF presentations, etc. For example, students might be encouraged to raise x dollars in y time frame or put in a certain number of service hours per term. For example, in an intense one month fundraiser our goal is to raise no less than $1,500, and our target is $3,400 or an average of $100/person for the month (33 students, plus faculty Mentor). Quantitative goals could supplement the qualitative evaluation, which takes place each semester via the final reflection essay.
Also consider keeping copies of everything that your Class produces (flyers, articles, e-net announcements, brochures, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and making these available to future Mentors via a Moodle site or tenure file type folder. You may select a “Class Historian” from your Class to take responsibility for keeping a record of Class efforts and accomplishments. Knowing the ups and downs of other Classes should help current Classes to be stronger and stronger.
Faculty Mentors, their Classes and projects to date include:
The program has struggled with the question of ‘how many Pericleans is the right number of Pericleans’ per Class? Early on, Classes experienced considerable attrition when our program was not yet well known and students had few incentives to take 8sh of PER courses which did not count towards any major or minor. In recent years, the Directors of the International Studies major, Asian Studies Minor, Latin American Studies Minor, and African/African-American Studies Minor have worked with Periclean Scholars. They have to count GST 272 as a Periclean Scholars' course and all 8sh of PER courses toward their respective minors/concentrations, giving students more incentive to complete the series of four 2sh courses. Students need to work directly with the Directors in order to count their courses for a particular major or minor because credit for GST 272 and PER courses is on an informal basis; the courses will not automatically appear in the correct places on a student’s degree audit.
Recruiting 30 to 35 students can make for a large and somewhat difficult GST 272 seminar to manage. However, given attrition and the amount of students who study abroad for a semester, this number has been the target number of annual recruits.
Each semester, approximately two Periclean Scholars will be hired as work study students. These students can be from any Periclean Class. Tasks include creating programs for events, creating Pan-Periclean posters, working on the newsletter, updating the Pan-Periclean Moodle site, updating the handbook, compiling all information from alumni, assisting with events such as CELEBRATE, and other small tasks that come up regarding the program. In addition, Mentors should feel free to ask the students workers to assist them with small projects for their Classes such as making copies of a Periclean documentary, ordering books for the Class, etc.
For more information, please contact Dr. Arcaro or the Project Pericles Program Assistant, Catherine Parsons (cparsons@elon.edu).
In this section you will find information for students and Mentors regarding the recruitment, application, and induction of incoming Periclean Scholars
During the second half of the fall semester and the first half of the spring semester, the Mentor for the incoming Class and current Pericleans will be giving a series of presentations regarding the Periclean Scholars Program to current first year students currently enrolled in GST 110 classes.
Please begin organizing these PODS early as it will take a lot of time to coordinate with Global professors who may be planning their syllabus during the summer.
Each Class of Periclean Scholars typically contains about 30 students on average and strives to combine a variety of majors and interests. Requirements of and components for applying are as follows: a cumulative GPA of 3.0, a short biographical essay, a letter of recommendation from GST 110 instructor, and an interview with the Class Mentor.
The interview process should help the student to understand the time commitment demanded by the Periclean Scholars' program. Students should not apply if they already have too many other commitments.
You might consider bringing a sign up sheet for interviews to each pod presentation. A 10 to 15 minute interview should suffice, especially if you provide a lot of information about program requirements in a brochure and/or presentation at the pod. Some students will not have participated in a GST 110 pod and may need a bit more of your time. We have noticed that if you have sign-up sheets for appointments within a day or two of a pod that almost everyone who signs up shows up. If you have students sign up for interview appointments weeks after a pod, the chances of them showing up are greatly diminished.
When conducting interviews, here are some questions to consider:
Get as much information about the students as possible:
When you are selecting students for your Class, give some consideration to diversity of majors, backgrounds, and skill sets. It will be desirable to have a Class that includes a ‘natural’ webmaster, accountant, group of fundraisers, researchers to give SURF and NCUR presentations, writers for the Pendulum, Colonnades, documentarians, etc.
Application components and deadline:
Traditionally, the applications for Periclean Scholars have been due the Friday of the beginning of Spring Break. Normally the students are asked to write a short biographical essay and obtain a letter of recommendation from their GST 110 or other relevant instructor for the application. In 2007, to enhance academic rigor, a short research essay component was added to the application process and the minimum GPA was raised from 2.5 to 3.0. The Faculty Mentor may choose to read the application essays and make decisions on his or her own or to invite other Mentors or even students to be part of the application review process.
Ask students to include a header on their application with their name, campus box (to facilitate sending out letters), major, and GPA, or simply use the form below.
Be flexible: You recruit your Class to do work in a particular country or region (such as the 2014s in Appalachia). Have a backup plan for whatever you or the students wind up choosing to be the Class’ focal topic. If the country or region selected suddenly goes to war or has a coup, how will you proceed? Having thought about some possible alternatives in advance might prove helpful in such a case. To date, the 2008s were unable to visit the school they were helping to construct in Chiapas, Mexico because of security issues (localized infighting among the Zapatistas) and went to another school instead; the 2009s had to change their country of study from Angola to Zambia due to security issues (landmines) and language issues (they speak Portuguese in Angola) and the 2011 Class was unable to travel to Sri Lanka over winter term because of unrest (bombings related to the Tamil separatist movement).
As Mentor, you should think of the Class as a small non-governmental organization. As with any NGO, you will want to recruit people with a range of skills, from fundraising to media production, researching, event planning, and speech giving. Make use of experts who have experience working with or running NGOs (Elon’s Business School, EV!, Service Learning, etc.). Mentoring a Periclean Class will require a wide variety of skills such as flexibility, dedication, knowledge, and understanding. A Class of Periclean Scholars should contain a wide variety of majors, interests, backgrounds, and skills in order to create the best possible project and experience.
Name: ____________________________________ Campus Box: _____________
Major or Intended Major: _______________________________________________________________
First Semester GPA: ______ Email: __________________________
Global Studies Professor: ________________________________
To be eligible to apply for the Periclean Scholars Program, you must do each of the following:
___ Write a 1-2 page letter of application outlining why you would like to become a
Periclean Scholar, what you hope to contribute to the organization, and what you
would like to gain from it.
___Write a 1-2 page response to a reading placed on reserve at the library by Professor
April Post
___ Complete (or be taking) Global Studies GST 110
___ Submit a letter of recommendation from your Global Studies professor
___ Have a GPA of 3.0 or above
___ Be interviewed by either Dr. Post or Dr. Arcaro before March 1, 2013
___ Complete this application form
All parts of the application are due at April Post’ office in Carlton, room 318, by Friday, March 1, 2013, at 4:00 pm.
Background:
Please briefly discuss your four most important or meaningful commitments (organizations, leadership roles, etc.) which you have participated in or are currently participating in.
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How did you hear about Periclean Scholars? (Check all that apply)
___ GST 110 Pods ___ Online ___ A Periclean Scholars Event
___ A Professor ___ A current Periclean Scholar ___ Other (___________________)
The CELEBRATE Event was first held in the fall of 2009 and will be an annual event that will serve to (1) bring fellow Pericleans together (a Pan-Periclean event) and to (2) invite any interested first year students to learn more about the program. Both the Mentor for that year i.e. for the first year students and the director will talk about the program and.
After each Periclean Scholar has been accepted to the program, the sophomore Class is charged with planning the induction ceremony. The ceremony is usually held in Holt Chapel where members of existing Classes speak about the program, read short biographies of each member of the new Class, and formally welcome the students into the Periclean Scholars Program. Each scholar is presented with a Project Pericles pin and a small token of congratulations on acceptance into the program. After the induction ceremony, there is typically a reception immediately following with refreshments, drinks, and fellowship among the Scholars.
Provide as much information as early as possible about your Class to your potential recruits: This method should help them make informed decisions and potentially cut down on attrition, which has been an issue for several specialized programs at Elon. Information is normally shared via GST 110 ‘pods’ in the fall and spring of the potential recruits’ first year at Elon, but other approaches (Elon 101, brochures, interviews, etc.) might also be used.
Ask Elon’s campus director for Project Pericles (Dr. Tom Arcaro, arcaro@elon.edu) to get materials you want potential recruits to know about your Class posted on Elon’s Project Pericles website http://www.elon.edu/eweb/academics/special_programs/project_pericles/scholars.xhtml as soon as possible. This way potential recruits are not looking at information for the previous Class of recruits, which may differ notably from what you want to do.
Plan ahead and give yourself the time you will need to get started:
Sophomore Year
In the fall of sophomore year, the newly inducted Periclean Scholars will begin their official work as a Class with their Mentor. They will enroll in a four credit hour course and begin researching, organizing, and planning their goals for the next three years. The Class should be organized by creating a project that stems from the input of both the students and the Mentor in order to work in the most efficient way possible.
The Class should begin extensively researching the area of assignment to plan a sustainable project that everyone agrees on and is in the best interest of the people of the region.
Once a Class has had the chance to gain some working knowledge of the country, areas of interest and need should be developed and explored as potential project ideas. Feasibility, safety, and access are important things to consider when identifying possible project ideas for the Class.
It may be in the Class’s best interest to partner with an NGO or contacts in the student’s area of interest so that the best possible project is chosen. It is necessary for the students to play the proper role in the planning, implementation, and execution of that project such that those who are on the ground in the chosen country are relaying what they see as important. Additionally, students need to feel ownership in their initative, but still balance involvement in the local community.
Once ideas have been generated, students can present proposals about what the project could or would look like, or there can be a simple vote. This part is entirely up to the Class.
Junior Year
During the second year of the program the Class needs to maintain emphasis on academic learning about the country/region of focus and the issue(s) that they have decided to pursue. Assignments and reading covering both more in depth information of the country/region of focus and the issue(s) chosen by the Class are necessary. In past years, the Mentor has allowed the Class members to take a more active voice in constructing the course syllabus, setting the agenda for daily classroom activity, and so on beginning in this second year.
One characteristic of the second two years of the program is that the students are increasingly working on their own individual and/or small group projects. That is to say, some course learning is general to all of the Class (e.g., common readings, country/region updates, etc.), but some learning may be specific to individuals or groups. The syllabus can be, for example, imagined as having two sections, one group and one individual. One model of how to deal with his in the syllabus is to have 50% of the grade be an Individual Syllabus (IS) complete with assignments, due dates, grading rubrics, and so on. To be clear, every IS should have reasonable work output, doable deadlines, and clear grading rubrics.
One model for how to proceed with assessment of IS material is to establish a Peer Review Committee (PRC) of 3-5 students who in turn are responsible for tracking the progress of several of their colleagues (and in turn are also tracked by another PRC member). This model must include specific rubrics, deadlines, and so on so that the PRC member can provide feedback both to the student and to the Mentor.
In the junior year, the Class plans for reaching more long term goals should be clarified, refined, and acted upon. In the history of the program, each Class has chosen different initiatives, but the common denominator among all of the Classes is that they have communicated with and listened to the partners they have developed in their country/region of focus to set reasonable, appropriate and sustainable goals for their Class.
Senior Year
The majority of Classes have chosen to travel to their country/region of focus during Winter term of their senior year. As mentioned above, this is not a requirement for the program, and any decision to travel must be made in the context of making the most effective use of both financial and human resources. To be clear, there should be a clear plan to accomplish specific and significant goals during this travel. Examples of how study travel to the country/region of focus include are many, and a new Mentor should consult with past Mentors on what has worked well and not so well in past years. Information can be found on each Class web site as well (org.elon.edu/pericleanscholars20XX).
The Periclean Scholars program works closely with the Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies of these Winter Term study trips, and planning should begin in the early spring of the junior year. Depending upon the nature of the travel and what the intended outcomes are, this can be a full time effort of the Class and takes constant input from the Mentor. Help will from the Director on all aspects of this travel, and if mutually agreed, the Director can be the second faculty person accompanying the students.
Funding for this travel, just like all Winter Term study abroad travel at Elon, comes from the students themselves. A detailed budget that includes absorbing the cost for the Mentor should be generated very early spring semester of the junior year.
As graduation nears, each Class begins to focus more clearly on plans to sustain the partnerships and initiatives begun as undergraduates. A Sustainability Committee should be organized by each Class as early as first semester senior year, but no later than spring semester. Plans should be made for how to ensure continued communication channels among and between Class members, Mentor, Director, and partners. Importantly, this committee needs to plan on how to both materially, and in terms of human resources, continue to support their partners.
A survey is created by each specific Class in order to assess the future of each individual project. This survey should assess the students' views regarding the continuation of their project, their interest in the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association (PSAA), and Mentor involvement.
Expectations and evaluation of the program should also be considered at this time.
Often times, the project focus of a Class does not only lie in the country of interest but also in the local/greater Elon and Burlington community. Reaching out to the community in which our University resides is important in order to give back and form partnerships with local residents.
The Kernodle Center for Service Learning is an excellent and ideal resource for the Periclean Scholars, looking to go out into the community and form a three-year relationship with a local partner to develop or continue a project of need.
Some countries also have pockets of immigrants or refugees that have settled in this area and may be in need of some contacts or assistance.
Local schools have been very receptive to Pericleans coming in and discussing their projects and countries of focus with students. For example, the Class of 2010 went to several elementary schools to give short presentations to younger children about the life and culture of Ghana.
Several local agencies also have fundraising or awareness events that can serve as a bonding event for a Class. For example, the annual AIDS walk in Greensboro is an excellent way to show community support and solidarity.
Three-year student-developed plan
A requirement of the program is for students to develop a three year plan that details what they are planning on accomplishing during their remaining time at Elon. This academic exercise is an opportunity for the student to pull together their individual goals and to plan along with Class goals.
NOTE: Individual three-year plans will vary considerably by student, but each should include a summary, information on proposed major and minor, and entries for each fall, winter, spring, and summer from fall of the sophomore year through the spring of graduation. Generally, each Periclean Scholar will propose one major/longer term project and one to three minor/shorter term project(s) to over their three years, plus assist with fundraising. [Note: for a Business Major the major project and/or minor project(s) may be fundraising project(s).]
Creative Idea: The goals could be new, different, and even specific to the Periclean Scholars program, itself. For example, the Class of 2010 formed mentor/mentee roles with new inductees into the Class of 2013 Pericleans in order to help guide the new Scholars through the first semester as Pericleans.
Each student’s three-year plan should draw on his or her strengths and fit within his or her overall academic and/or career objectives (i.e. a cinema student might propose a film project related to the country or people of the country; an English major a writing project which results in an article, short story, or poem about the country of choice in a campus or national-level publication; a business student create or support a small business in the country of choice; an art student create a painting, mural, sculpture, or photography exhibit on the country of choice or members of its Diaspora; a sport management major organize an Sports Fest on campus with sporting, musical, research and other components; a theatre student perform in a play written by an English student which highlights the life of a persons from the country of choice with AIDS; a pre-med student volunteer at a hospital in the country of choice for a semester; an ‘undecided’ major organize for a native citizen to visit campus to speak with our Class and other Classes, etc.). Students from any major can propose research papers/ presentations at the campus or national level. These are just SOME IDEAS, be creative in designing your own three-year plan.
Also, this assignment is not limited. For instance, the Class of 2012 created a group 3 year plan in addition to an individual plan that is solely in the context of the project in order to narrow the focus. Dependent upon your Class, there will be multiple plans in accordance with multiple project groups, as was such in the Class of 2012. If there is only one project group, that of the whole Class, then the Class can work together to develop the plan. Of course there maybe overlap from the individual plan as well.
Each year the sophomore Class will have the option to host their first set of Pericleans-in-Residence, which encompasses approximately a week long stay of guests native to or residing in the Class’s country of focus. The Class should plan the schedule of their stay from the time of their arrival to the time of their departure, including housing, food, and transportation to and from the airport. It would also be great to plan an activity open to the Elon community in order to spread awareness and get the Periclean Scholars' name out there. An event could be a panel discussion. In addition, it will be a wonderful learning opportunity for Pericleans as well as the University as a whole.
The Periclean-in-Residence has become an integral and even transformational dimension of the Periclean Scholars program, with each new Class bringing in guests to help them understand their chosen topic much more clearly. The four Pericleans-in-Residence that the Class of 2006 hosted (Drs. Philippe Talavera and Lucy Steinitz, Anita Isaacs, and Majiua Marigulala) helped define and focus this Class’ mission and in no small fashion contributed to the success of the documentary series on HIV/AIDS in Namibia. Karen Godt, the Periclean-in-Residence hosted by the Class of 2007, continues to have an impact on that Class and on the Elon community as a whole; her daughter is in the Class of 2011. The other Periclean Scholars Classes have similarly benefited from this program. The 2008s invited Peter Brown of the Schools for Chiapas; 2010s invited Dr. Augustus Vogel, Director of Atidekate an organization for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who worked in Ghana, and Dr. Roger Gocking, a historian of Ghana from Mercy College in New York.
In addition to spending time with the Class that invited them, every effort is made to offer the resource of these Pericleans-in-Residence to the larger campus community and to the large surrounding community. Speaking engagements both on and off-campus have been a regular part of this program.
Who qualifies as a Periclean-in-Residence?
In the past, a Periclean-in-Residence has been someone who is an expert in the field of study either due to their own research or personal experience with the issue. He or she should be able to provide insight into the issue, the severity of the issue and why it is important and, possibly, present new information and a new way of looking towards the problem. This person should also be comfortable speaking in front of audiences of all sizes and be incredibly passionate about the issues at hand.
How do you contact them?
A Periclean-in-Residence can be initially found through personal contacts or networking. Once an appropriate candidate is found, one should call, email, or send a written letter telling the person about you, your organization, and why you are interested in having them speak.
How can their presence benefit the campus?
A Periclean-in-Residence not only greatly benefits the entire Elon University staff and student body, but also the local community at large. Especially since Elon prides itself on being a global community, having a Periclean-in-Residence speak can provide information on issues going on in the world that should be of significance to everyone. Pericleans-in-Residence can use their knowledge and presence to greatly impact and educate people in various organizations and can be a call to action to both students and staff involved in an issue.
What types of audiences will they appeal to?
Especially if the Periclean-in-Residence has different themes they can discuss each night, he or she will appeal to a wide range of audiences. This audience includes local community organizations with similar missions, empowered groups of Elon organizations/clubs, specific academic departments and majors, or even simply to individuals with an interest in the subject matter.
What events can be held with a Periclean-in-Residence?
There can be a wide range of events held; however, the main purpose of the Periclean-in-Residence is to benefit the Elon community. This includes attending Classes, speeches to large groups, discussion panels, and question and answer sessions. In addition, a Periclean-in-Residence can be involved in community events related to the issue like fundraisers.
How long can they stay?
A Pericleans-in-Residence should stay long enough to fulfill their purpose of teaching various aspects of an issue to a wide range of people and organizations. A week and a half to two weeks would be an appropriate time period.
Where do they stay?
In the past the Pericleans-in-Residence have stayed with students, however if this makes them uncomfortable, a hotel would be the best option.
Where does the funding come from?
Funding the visit of a Periclean-in-Residence can come from limitless places; it is imperative to tap into all of your resources. Often other academic departments who would be interested in sharing the Periclean-in-Residence with their students will be more than happy to co-sponsor
How do you schedule them?
Make sure you contact the Periclean-in-Residence in advance to finalize their schedule. Double check with Elon, as well, to make sure they are scheduled for when they are suppose to be scheduled. It is important to have the Periclean-in-Residence’s schedule pretty structured with events before they arrive, but still leave some room for flexibility if other opportunities arise.
Do they get paid?/ How do you thank them?
They have not been paid in the past, but their plane ticket has been purchased for them and on the ground expenses have been covered. A Periclean-in-Residence makes a great personal sacrifice to travel and come to Elon, so it is necessary to thank them accordingly. Personal mementos, such as a scrapbook of their visit to show off their accomplishments, are an excellent gesture. The 2010s used minor fundraising to give Anita Isaacs a $250 for her HIV/AIDS organization in Namibia and purchased some crafts from her; they also have created a $100 honorarium to Dr. Gocking, and several hundred dollars to Dr. Vogel’s organization for the purchase of children’s books in the village in Ghana in which he served as a Peace Corps volunteer. These gestures were appreciated by our guests.
Do they need transportation?
He or she would probably need a student to several student volunteers to be willing to chauffer then around. It would be helpful if a sign up sheet was made previous to his/her arrival. This method is helpful for several reasons in that it takes the responsibility off of one sole person to transport him/her everywhere and it helps organize in that everyone will know who is in charge when.
How do you get Global Classes involved?
In the past, we have assigned students to go and speak to different Global Classes.
How far in advance should you invite him/her?
We recommend around 2 or 3 months in advance in order to provide him/her with time to prepare as well as to have more options open in the campus calendar. It also allows the Periclean-in-Residence enough time to make appropriate arrangements and for the Class to prepare for hotel and flight reservations.
How do you promote events?
Take advantage of all of the on-campus marketing tools! These include:
Periclean Scholars are part of Project Pericles, a national project dedicated to increasing civic engagement and social responsibility. They are dedicated to promoting awareness of global issues and to helping provide solutions to the problems surrounding these issues in culturally sensitive and sustainable ways. Students apply to become Periclean Scholars in the second semester of their first year. Each Class of 33 students chooses an issue to address during their sophomore year and then spends the next two years engaged in activities that integrate academic reading, research, and writing with service and outcome-oriented experiential learning activities. All Periclean Scholars Classes operate as seminars, with heavy emphasis on student ownership and leadership in most aspects of the Class. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply. Periclean Scholars are required to take all of the following Classes.
GST 225. PERICLEAN SCHOLARS 4 sh
In this foundational course, students develop a mission statement for the Class and research in depth the issues and topics related to that mission. Emphasis is placed on becoming deeply familiar with the multiplicity of factors that surround the group’s chosen issue and developing individual and group goals, both short and long term. They examine the process of understanding how to be effective agents of social change. Offered fall semester. Civilization or Society.
PER 351/352. JUNIOR PERICLEAN SCHOLARS 2 sh/ea
In the junior year, the Periclean Scholars cohort will continue broadening and deepening their knowledge of the content area(s) in the group’s chosen geographic location and/or issue(s). The Mentor will guide and encourage the cohort to begin using the knowledge, conceptual and theoretical frameworks, and skill sets that they are learning in their majors as they engage in activities outlined in their chosen mission statement. PER 351 is offered in fall semester; PER 352 is offered in spring semester.
PER 451/452 SENIOR PERICLEAN SCHOLARS 2 sh/ea
These courses serve as a capstone to the program. The students fully put to use all that they have learned in both their earlier Periclean Classes and their majors in service to the projects and goals that they set out to address from the beginning of their experience. The Mentor will guide them in both reflecting on what they have accomplished and in planning for how they will begin their lifelong role as Periclean Scholar alumni, sustaining the initiatives they began as undergraduates.
Periclean Scholars 2006 Reflective Assignments:
Final Assignment Part I Due 16 Feb 2006
Part I Due February 16th
Write comprehensive list of all the contributions that you have made to our mission. This can be just a bullet listing but must include –as much as you can recall- all activities, big and small. Many of you have presented speakers, shown the documentaries, taken trips, accepted leadership positions within the group, etc. Use your colleagues to help jog your memory and make sure your list is complete.
Examples:
Colleen Clark
February 15, 2006
Part I: My Contributions as a Periclean Scholar
• Planned Kids’ Krusade, a week long advocacy event about children orphaned worldwide, some of which by HIV/AIDS; met with other Periclean Scholars for the first time, spring 2003
• Lateral entry into the Pericles Program, fall 2004
• Board of Directors, fall 2004
• Helped layout the syllabus for Class, fall 2004
• Made blue Periclean Scholar t-shirts with Becky, summer 2004
• Presented AMOOH at St. George’s, Fredericksburg, VA, sold CD’s at this event, fall 2005
• Attended an AIDS discussion/AMOOH showing at Guilford College, spring 2005
• Attempted to plan Class wide retreat, fall 2004
• Spent time with Anita Isaacs during her visit to Elon, fall 2004
• Spent time with Lucy Steinitz during her visit to Elon, hosting several functions for her in my home, fall 2005
• Hosted all preparatory meetings for winter term travel, fall 2005
• Attended AHS conference in Tampa, Florida to show documentary and learn about other humanist actions around the country, helped to sell documentaries and solicited a $200 donation for Project Pericles, fall 2005
• Raised funds for the entirety of my trip to Namibia and enough to donate N$1,500.00 to Deep Roots Education, a nonprofit in Namibia that helps fund secondary school fees, fall 2005 and winter 2006
• Traveled to Namibia with the Periclean Scholars and served as group chaplain, winter 2006
• Upon return, met with President Lambert to discuss Periclean Scholar recommendations for civic engagement at Elon, spring 2006
• Currently serving on the Periclean-in-Residence committee, spring 2006
• Working with Julie Bourbeau and another friend to write and illustrate a children’s book about Namibia, spring 2006
• Working to professionally digest the experiences of the YWCA visit in Namibia through a short piece for my feminism Class, spring 2006
Final Assignment Part II Due 2 March 2006
Part II Due March 2nd
Describe and reflect on how your experience as a Periclean Scholar has had an impact on your (1) family, (2) friends, (3) peers and (4) professors. Make sure that you include your impact on the various (5) community groups (Rotary Clubs, churches, former high schools, etc.) that you may have spoken to and/or gotten donations from. What have you taught them about Namibia and HIV/AIDS? How have they changed their behavior and/or views because of your influence? What have they said to you that makes you know you have had an impact on them? This could turn into a long essay, so make it easier on yourself by breaking it down into sub-sections.
Example:
Laura Iannacone
Part II: Pericles Assignment
March 2, 2006
Family
There was a point, following my sophomore year, where my parents told me that I would need to look into transferring to another school because Elon was becoming too expensive for them to afford. However, my involvement in Project Pericles made it impossible for me to even consider going to any other school, because I felt as if my involvement in the project was crucial-- not only to the program, but to myself and for my own well-being. In this sense, early on my family has made sacrifices due to this program. But in the end, I feel as if they have gotten more out of this program than they previously thought. My mother really has embraced my involvement in this project, and even though she was wary of my traveling to Africa to begin with, she has seen how much of an impact the experience has had on me and how I've been able to get my message across to the world (CNN, especially). Both my mom and my dad have been able to take the work of our Class and incorporate it into their workplace. My mom sold the beaded AIDS ribbons that Anita made at her place of work. She wore hers on her apron and she had so many people ask her about it that she actually requested that I bring some home. My father, before the trip to Namibia, brought the donations letter to his boss and was able to get a donation from Hearst/Comag Marketing group to go towards our efforts over winter term. I was blown away by the amount of people in my family that came out of the woodwork last semester to support me in raising money to travel over Winter Term. Two of my aunts almost completely funded the trip, having such an interest in AIDS and really wanting to see me do something good. Each of them have the full set of documentaries and have really taken our mission to heart since they have heard about it. All of my extended family has heard about our trip over January and I've shown them pictures and shared my stories with them. It's really amazing to be able to share my experiences with my family because I really wish they could have experienced it with me and come with me on the trip. I think it's so important for people to witness an issue firsthand, and my experiences have given them the insight that AIDS in Namibia exists. My family is completely supportive in the work that we have done and will continue to support me and the efforts of our group.
Friends
When it comes to Project Pericles and the work that I have done with this program, my friends are generally the first to hear about what's going on. Many of my friends have been to ALL of the documentary premieres, tell other friends about our projects, and talk about our mission with their families. In my life at Elon, these have been the people that have supported me the most, going to our Periclean-in-Residence speakers, at times to be there to hear me introduce our guest, but ALWAYS to take in whatever message is sought to be told. I feel as if, in ways, I have not been the person that has taught my friends what they know about HIV/AIDS and Namibia. I've been that person that has provided them with the means to learn what they know. What is empowering about this is that by giving them these tools, they are able to help themselves. In particular, I remember back to junior year when we were deciding on the slogan for our t-shirts. Originally, the thought behind it was that the shirts would be something we would wear as a campaign to tell people to be informed and get tested for HIV. When this was all going on, I told my friends about the project, and one of my friends in particular told me "I'll get an HIV test, but I need you to go with me." Since then, she has gotten tested for HIV and pledges to always have safe sex. Just to attest to the power of the message that we send, our mission to inform our community--even if it's just one person at a time-- is being accomplished.
The willingness of my friends to, at the drop of a hat, contribute to projects of mine, particularly the Box Project, has blown me away. The impact that we have made on the ground in Namibia, particularly our experiences over winter term and the stories I have brought back to my friends here, makes them feel like they have a connection in Namibia as well. Many of them contributed clothing that was brought to Namibia in January and distributed at various organizations. Now, months later, these same friends are donating MORE of their time, energy, and belongings in the name of our mission. I ask them why they do it, why they are helping. The answer is the same every time. They want to do something to help and know that, through me, some good will come of their contributions. I feel like my friends have not just changed their views about Namibia and HIV, but they've changed their LIVES because of what they have learned. Most recently, I have had the pleasure of inadvertently being a Mentor to an Elon freshman. In the fall, I was his TA for General Chemistry. Since then, I've been able to give him advice about Class, about teachers, about studying, and in general about Elon. Now, he wants to become a Periclean Scholar. The other night, he sent me a message saying that he had just seen the movie Hotel Rwanda and knew, the second the movie was finished, that he had to do something to give voices those who cannot speak to the world. Ironically, I thought back to myself as a freshman, having just seen the documentary Left Behind, and realizing from then on that I needed to do something to make a change in the world. I feel like I'm starting a chain reaction within the hearts of my friends: a chain reaction eliciting emotions like hope, drive, and initiative to make a difference in the lives of others.
Peers
The response from the Elon community, especially Elon students, to our work and the projects that we have been doing has been amazing since the start of our work in 2003. Turnouts for all of our events have been booming on campus. Probably the most significant outpouring of care and love from my peers has been during the course of my work for the Box Project, which really was just kind of an idea on a whim. I've been stunned by how quickly my peers were able to take this into their hearts. Not only were my own friends contributing to this project, but the entire Biology department (students, faculty, and staff) have opened their hearts and pockets to this cause. Maybe it's because I'm a senior and I have some rank within the department, but the ease at which the word was spread and the enthusiasm that I have received has been incredible. The Biology Club is giving the proceeds from their spring fundraiser "Buy a Beta from Tri-Beta" to go towards some of the shipping costs and/or direct funds to the Hatutale's. AZD has included the project as part of their philanthropy (I'll be receiving a check from them today!). Strangers, people I've never met before, have been contacting me saying that they have things that they would like to contribute. By simply sharing a story, these reactions have been induced. In this way, I feel as if I've impacted my peers. When given a direction, when given a first hand story, something or someone that they feel like they can connect to, you would be amazed at how people will react and give of themselves to give to others. I've been able to share stories from my trip, information about AIDS, and just general knowledge to my peers, and in return I am receiving gifts from their hearts.
Professors
My professors have shown immense interest in our work from the beginning. Freshman year, my global professor, Steve Braye, was the one who introduced me to this project and recommended me to the program. Since then, he is always interested in seeing what we are up to and how I've been doing. My academic advisor, Sandy Seidel (up until last year--she's now at UVA) was extremely supportive and always talked about Pericles in her Elon 101 Class and actually recommended several of her students to the Periclean Scholars program (several of which are now Pericleans in the younger Classes). Doug Stemke came to speak to our Junior year about the biology of the AIDS virus, something that many of us struggled to wrap our minds around. Over the summer, I took a course at UNC-G and brought our work, documentaries, and future trip up to my professor and immediately, she was able to incorporate A Measure of Our Humanity into the curriculum for the summer course, offering extra credit for those who watched it and answered some of the discussion questions we had posted on our website. Clearly, Dr. Arcaro has been a big push during this whole process, mentoring us and guiding us along through this journey. Faculty continue to approach me and ask how our trip over January went. Dr. Brant Touchette was my Mentor for the water research we did while in Namibia. He can now pronounce Namibia and spell it, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. His support was vital through the whole winter term planning process. Dr. Janet MacFall of the Environmental Science department was also a Mentor and contributor to the winter term water research. Her interest in public health and the water ecosystems of Namibia led her to contributing $500 to my efforts. The Undergraduate Research Department, headed by Karl Sienerth, also contributed $500 to the research and has (hopefully) accepted my project to be a SURF presentation this April. The entire Biology faculty has been extremely supportive of the Box Project. Jeffrey Coker, one of the Mentors for Biology Club, sent out a mass email to all the Bio majors and faculty, and through that I attribute the massive response I have seen. I have received donations from faculty and staff. In this way, I feel as if I have made an impact on my professors. They are willing to help at a moments notice because they have seen me grow as a student, especially throughout the time I've been involved in Periclean Scholars.
Community Groups
I feel as if I have impacted community groups indirectly. Personally, I have spent most of my efforts focusing on those in my close proximity, and I'm not involved in many community organizations. However, people I have spoken to and given information to have in turn gone to community organizations like churches, for example, and impacted those organizations by showing our documentaries and sharing our stories. A community church is donating money and clothing to the Box Project, thanks to one of the Pericleans from another Class. Tarheel Research, Ltd. is a research company that is working on an innovative method in farming: encapsulating seeds in gel capsules. They supported my work over Winter term with $250 and have since expanded their efforts to sending seeds to third world countries, specifically in Africa, singling out drought-hearty plants that would do well in the soils in particular areas. They have asked for my feedback on the landscape and farming in Namibia since I've been back. In this way, I feel as if I have impacted my community.
Final Assignment Part III Due 16 2006
Part III Due March 16th
Revisit your list of accomplishments (Part I) and describe (1) the overall impact these activities had on your undergraduate career, (2)how these activities helped you directly or indirectly in learning and applying the skill sets you learned in your major(s) or minor(s), and (3) enhanced your leadership and organizational skills. In other words, what has it meant to you –both in terms of personal and professional development- to be a member of this program?
Final Assignment Part IV Due 30 March 2006
Part IV Due March 30th
What advice would you give to the Classes of Periclean Scholars that follow in your footsteps? What mistakes did we make that could or should have been avoided? What successes did we have and how would you advise they learn from these activities? What specific advice would you give to the Mentors of those Classes? To the members of those Classes?
Final Assignment Part V Due 6 April 2006
Part V Due April 6th
How do you think your undergraduate career would have unfolded had it not been for this program? And, as a related question, how have your post graduation plans (both short and long term) been impacted by your career as a Periclean Scholar?
Example:
The last three years have definitely been a learning experience. First and foremost, I think that we learned, through being separated into two Classes when we were sophomores, that things just roll a lot more smoothly when there is an open line of communication and when we are together as a cohesive unit. This way, everyone's up to date with everything and no one feels out-of-the-loop.
We also learned that we all aren't perfect all of the time (unfortunately) and that we just have to roll with the punches sometimes. Things don't always work the way you plan them out and they have to be adapted. Everyone doesn't always get along, but we have to do what we can to make sure everyone is happy in one way or another. But there are always people that you can't please no matter what you do, so-- it's really a lesson in life and how you work and communicate with people, very important to learn but can get frustrating!
When you're working with a group of people who are motivated and have clear goals, it makes it so much easier and more fun to work together!! Being able to get to know my fellow Classmates and faculty advisor over the three year period was essential for our travel abroad and even just overall, to be able to work as a cohesive unit.
Contacts, contacts, contacts! Form relationships with influential people in the country you are studying, especially those who are making strides with the issue that you are covering!! We have been fortunate to meet some extremely bright, talented, and ambitious individuals and groups that have enhanced our work and our experiences!
As much as you may want to organize everyone together all at once, as Periclean Scholars we are very ambitious and other obligations may get in the way of meeting together. We have overcome this by just allowing open communication and being flexible with people who may not be able to make it at certain times.
Never be afraid to ask for help! As Periclean Scholars, we take on big projects that we may think that we can do on our own, but work better when you involve others. Share what you're doing not only with Classmates, but other organizations and departments! The more help you can get, the better, and the more exposure you can have for your project or event!
Make time in your life for this program. The Periclean Scholars program can give so much back to you if you devote a part of your life to it. As a Biology major, I have a lot on my plate academically. However, I have always left room for Pericles and have reaped the benefits from being involved. I was able to travel to Namibia, I've been involved in so many smaller projects, and through it all I have bettered myself in several areas, like public speaking, promotions, just overall being more outgoing, etc. If you allow this program to have a special place in your life, you'll get so much more out of it!
Of course, there are so many more recommendations I can give on a personal basis depending on their majors and other involvements. What I've included thusfar are the tips that I would have found most important if I had had a Mentor coming into Pericles as a freshman! Overcoming these "bumps in the road" have allowed us to become stronger as a Class, so even making mistakes allows you to learn something about yourself and about your group. I hope that all of the subsequent Classes get as much out of being involved in the Periclean Scholars as we did; this will certainly be an experience and a committment that I carry with me throughout my life!
Final Assignment Part VI Due 13 April 2006
Part VI Due April 13th
How do you feel we have done thus far in terms of fulfilling our mission statement? What have we done to educate both the people of the United States and Namibia about the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS? What do you think we can/should do to sustain our impact? What will you do to carry on our mission?
Final Assignment Part VII Due 20 April 2006
Part VII Due April 20th
In one paragraph not to exceed 100 words summarize Parts I through VI.
a. Student Steering Committee
b. Mentor Steering Committee
c. Strategic Planning Committee
d. Committees within Your Own Class
Events
Education/ Awareness
External Link
Sustainability
PR
Fundraising/ Finance
To date, Periclean Scholars Classes have been responsible for raising virtually all of their own programming funds. No Class has been given a ‘starting budget,’ although funds for creating application materials, induction ceremony programs, and senior dinners have been made available. Most Classes have opted to create a Class T-shirt and program funds potentially can be borrowed and repaid when students receive and pay for their shirts.
There has been the desire since the program’s inception to offer a summer stipend to the Faculty Mentor for the start of the program. The 2015 Mentor was the first Mentor to receive such a stipend.
There are several accounts for the Periclean Scholars. Each is a joint account for all Periclean Scholars Classes. Thus, it is imperative that you accountant for your Class document each deposit and withdrawal very carefully. You should not be accessing Periclean Scholars funds without checking with Dr. Arcaro first unless they are funds that your Class raised and deposited.
Get a receipt: Always indicate “Class of XXXX” or “XXXX Pericleans” on transactions, replacing XXXX with the year of graduation for your Class, and getting a receipt. The Bursar’s Office prints out a receipt for you on the spot. University Advancement will print out a record of deposits to the account for a given time frame.
Say Thank You: It is good practice to have a student who can work with the accountant to collect names and addresses of donors to send out thank you notes.
Each Class of Periclean Scholars has used a variety of approaches to raise money for projects. Grant writing, letter writing campaigns, working with local restaurants, swiping Phoenix cards for Phoenix cash or Meal Plan dollars, craft sales, video sales, having donation buckets at events or tables at College Coffee or Moseley Center, etc. have all been used. What follows is an assessment of how well each of these approaches has worked to date as well as some details on the logistics.
Accountant Handbook
The accountant will be responsible for each of the following duties over term(s) in office:
1. Making deposits and withdrawals from University accounts
2. Maintaining a written and/or electronic record of all account activity, donations, expenses, etc
3. Reporting funds to the Class when necessary and monitoring the allocation of funds to individual Classmates as well as the group
4. Collecting, copying and recording all receipts for purchases by individuals. Creating a “master accounting book” is highly advised, as a central location for all necessary documents
5. Counting money at various fundraising events and sorting bills and rolling coins for deposit when necessary
Each of these duties will be outlined further in following pages.
Record your account numbers here, if they apply:
Bursar Account: _________________________________________________________________
University Advancement: ____________________________________________________
Other:____________________________________________________
Other: ____________________________________________________
VERY IMPORTANT:
These account numbers will be required for withdrawals and deposits. Be sure to make known to the Bursar that you are depositing or withdrawing from “the Periclean Scholars Class of __________” as all of the Periclean accounts are lumped together and the money will not be allocated to the proper Class unless the Bursar is notified.
General Responsibilities: Maintaining a written or electronic record of all account activity is imperative to the success of the organization. To abide by the Elon Honor Code, following University policies and procedures is of utmost important when acting in the role of accountant.
BURSAR
In order to deposit funds, one must first total all cash and check amounts. Organize the money in a proper fashion to give to the Bursar’s office for deposit. Visit the Office of the Bursar in Alamance Building 111 in order to complete the transaction. When giving monies to the attendant, BE SURE to note that your funds are for “the Periclean Scholars Class of _______." Currently, Periclean Scholars as a whole has one main account, and the funds are allocated to each Class as noted on deposit slips. In order for YOUR Class to receive the proper amount, this information must be made known at the time of the deposit.
You will receive a receipt for the funds from the bursar attendant. It will note the amount received as well as the party that made the deposit. Correct the deposit if your receipt does not say “Periclean Scholars (YEAR)”. You may either ask the bursar attendant to make a copy of this receipt or accomplish the task yourself. This receipt and its copy must be filed in the accounting master book, as well as in the overall master book, kept by the Mentor.
UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Should your Class receive a grant from Elon University, an Institutional Advancement account may be set up for you. Deposits are made in a similar fashion if necessary, by visiting the Bursar in Alamance Building 111. However, a set amount of money, in the amount of your grant, will be provided initially in the account, and you will primarily make withdrawals from this type of account.
All checks are sent to UA so that the donor can get a receipt for tax purposes (as long as they gave the money as a direct donation rather than receiving tee-shirts, Ghana cards, etc.).
Withdrawals
Various types of withdrawals can be made from Bursar and University Advancement accounts. Cash withdrawals can be made in order to reimburse the Mentor, an individual or third party. This should be for small or trivial amounts.
Two other types of withdrawals, check requests, and wire transfers, require additional forms to be completed. Check request forms are included in the appendix of this document, and one must visit Cindy Duke in Carlton 119 in order to get a typed wire transfer form for submission.
Following are detailed instructions for each of the check request and wire transfer processes:
Completing a check request is a fairly simple process. Ask Catherine Parsons (cparsons@elon.edu) to email you a blank check request form. Once you have a blank form, fill it out with the necessary information (name, address, account numbers, amounts, etc.). Be sure to include a description of what the money was used for in order to keep proper documentation.
A signature is required for the check request to be processed in all cases.
For amounts of up to $999, the director of Project Pericles, Dr. Tom Arcaro, may authorize payment. Visit his office in Lindner 209C and contact him before hand. This form may then be submitted to the Accounting Office via campus mail (Campus Box 2900) or in person.
The office is located at 314 Haggard Avenue, near the Arts West building.
For amounts over $1,000, the Associate Provost, Dr. Connie Book must approve withdrawal. Notify her of your need for approval, and then visit her office in Alamance 118. Once she signs the form, it may be submitted once again to the Accounting Office at 314 Haggard Avenue.
Again, make copies of these forms as they will serve as receipts for such transactions. File these copies in both the accounting master book as well as the overall master book with your Mentor.
Wire Transfer
Completing the process for a wire transfer is a bit more complicated than a simple check request. It is highly advised to transfer as much money as possible to avoid multiple wire transfer requests and make the transaction as efficient as possible.
To obtain a wire transfer request form, email Catherine Parsons. She will type up the form for readability and acceptance at the Accounting office. Once this form is obtained, make sure to have the proper authorization as follows.
For amounts of up to $999, the director of Project Pericles, Dr. Tom Arcaro, may authorize payment. Visit his office in Lindner 209C and contact him beforehand. The wire transfer may then be submitted to the Accounting Office via campus mail (Campus Box 2900) or in person. The office is located at 314 Haggard Avenue, near the Arts West building.
For amounts over $1,000, Dr. Connie Book must approve withdrawal. You may visit her office in Alamance 118. Once she signs the form, it may be submitted once again to the Accounting Office at 314 Haggard Avenue.
Again, make copies of these forms as they will serve as receipts for such transactions. File these copies in both the accounting master book as well as the overall master book with your Mentor.
Tips
STAY ORGANIZED
The more organized, the better. Record keeping is imperative to show proof of proper handling of monies that pass through the organization.
INFORM YOUR PEERS
Keep the Class and fundraising committee updated on the status of funds, fundraising ventures and other financial issues that may arise. Your Class may want to use funds to support a Class bonding event or other experience. Be sure to vote on the allocation of funds as it pertains to your project and other supported endeavors.
CAREFULLY HANDLE ALL MONIES
All cash and checks should be kept in a safe place, away from a situation where it could be taken or misplaced. Deposits should be made swiftly, as to keep minimum liability upon the accountant to handle funds. The Class of 2010 raised over $40,000, a great deal of responsibility for the accountant.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE
Money does not transfer quickly, especially with check requests and wire transfers. Be sure to begin these processes as soon as possible.
Slower, but generally steady income via swiping Phoenix cards for Phoenix cash: Fill out a form at the Moseley front desk providing information about why you would like to request a table, or use the SPACES online system to request the same. Only certain tables have outlets for the Phoenix cards (tables 7, 8, and 9) at Moseley, so indicate that you need one of these tables on your form. Once your table has been approved you will receive an email indicating approval.
You must reserve the Phoenix card swiping machine separately, through the Phoenix card office near the mail center in Moseley. You may not have the card swiping machine for more than three days in the same week. The machine comes in a plastic bin and has all the directions on it for use.
Faster, more lucrative but limited to once a year swiping Phoenix cards:
Contact ARA/dining services EARLY in the semester or term to request approval for swiping Phoenix cards for meal plan dollars. A very limited number of groups will be approved, so ask early! Each swipe will take $2 off a student’s card and ARA will donate up to $1000 per approved student organization engaged in swiping Phoenix cards for meal plan dollars. If approved for this activity, then go through the same steps for requesting a table at Moseley as described above. Note: the meal swiper is a very expensive (around $6,000) device and it is very important that the students using the device return it to the Dining Services office in Colonnades (rooms 101/108).
Slower and somewhat reliable funds via information tables with a donation bucket (at College Coffee, Moseley Center, Holly Hill Mall): Like Phoenix cash swiping these approaches can be expected to bring a few hundred dollars at best after several days of effort involving considerable planning to staff the tables based on everyone’s busy schedules. The positive aspect of these approaches is that although the income is not great, they tend to be a fairly reliable ways of bringing in small amounts of money.
Not guaranteed, but potentially larger sums via grant writing: This approach can be a means of securing somewhat larger sums (thousands versus hundreds). For individual Classes to date, grants have come from the campus level, via the Project Pericles office in New York, or through students having personal connections to someone at a foundation. The Fund for Excellence grants via Arts and Sciences (which can be as much as $5,000 for speakers, cultural festivals, etc.), Community Project Initiative Grants, and the Civic Engagement Course Enhancement Grant via Project Pericles and Elon (each gives $2,000 for $4,000 total) are some of the more realistic possibilities. The Campus Director for Project Pericles has secured $125,000 from a local group of businesspeople and these funds have endowed the Periclean Alumni Grants for which individual Classes can apply (around $1,000 per Class at this point).
Perhaps the largest sums available via grant writing will be through the Lumen Prizes first awarded in spring 2008. Fifteen Lumen Prizes will be awarded to students in their sophomore year each year. In 2008, Pericleans received five of the 15 Lumen Prizes ($75,000), however, most of this money is slated for tuition remission for individual prize winners and the remaining funds go into the purchase of equipment, books, airfares, and other personal perks for prize recipients. Thus, the Lumen Prizes are really a wonderful means of highlighting the scholarly aspect of Periclean Scholars (via eventual SURF, NCUR and other national conference presentations and publications), but not an effective means for a Class to raise considerable funds for development projects.
For the most part, longer term approaches to gaining relatively small sums, via the sale of videos, CDs, pins, postcards, artsy blank cards, school bonds, crafts, etc.: Whereas fundraising via the Phoenix Card swiping unit is relatively rapid and virtually guaranteed IF you can be one of the few groups to get the swiping device, obtaining funds via other approaches is often much slower and for the most part should essentially be viewed as part of outreach and education rather than fundraising.
The 2006s made several videos and a CD for which most of what was invested has been recouped within a five year period. The 2007s designed an enamel pin with the Periclean logo and Elon’s name on it, but these have been given as gifts to graduating Pericleans and incoming Pericleans, and like videos and CDs, have served as a means of outreach and education more so than fundraising. The 2008s had a school bond campaign, but found few buyers for them or their post cards; these were inexpensive experiments which required little investment of funds. The 2009s worked with a Zambian artist who waived the rights to her artwork so that all of the funds raised could go towards Habitat for Humanity housing in Zambia; this approach has been successfully combined with having Elon purchase hundreds of sets of blank cards and envelopes as gifts at the 2008 SURF banquet and end-of-the-year faculty luncheon, making it perhaps the best model to date for somewhat larger scale (few thousand dollars) fundraising. The 2010s have sold craft items (headbands, necklaces, wallets, tote bags, etc.) made from fabric obtained in Ghana; even with several 2010 Pericleans having craft making and sewing skills, sales have been modest and the time put into making the crafts and the cost of the cloth are such that craft sales can hardly be considered part of fundraising, but like videos, enamel pins, and school bonds really more a form of outreach and education.
The Class of 2010 implemented an innovative project beginning in Fall 2008. For the first time, a discount card was offered for purchase to students, faculty, staff and the Elon community. Partnering with local businesses, members of the Fundraising Committee contracted with twelve businesses to donate a discount to the Periclean Scholars Class of 2010. These discounts were then printed on a plastic card, which was the size of a credit card. The discounts were valid for an entire calendar year (January to December 2009). Each business agreed to give the customer a discount when the card was presented at the time of purchase. As a committee, we allowed businesses to decide what discount they would give. A list of companies and their respective discounts as well as the design of the card is included with this document. This project helped raise $2,000 toward the development of a healthcare center in rural southeastern Ghana.
The CELEBRATE Periclean Scholars event is typically held fall semester and is designed as a chance for prospective freshman to learn about the program, while honoring the current and past Periclean scholars. PR for the event can be arranged via flyers and Moseley table handouts. This should be utilized as a Pan-Periclean event in which all Classes come together and present the importance of the Periclean program. It will be an annual event, and in the past it has been held in Yeager recital hall with Aramark catered finger foods post-event.
Awareness Weeks
The Awareness weeks are typically weeks picked out by each individual Class in the spring (March/April), where they promote their projects and awareness of their country through activities such as speakers, movie sponsoring, and video screenings. Awareness weeks are catered to fit the needs and wants of each individual Periclean Class.
In years past, a number of the Periclean Scholars have traveled to their country of study by the time they are seniors (anywhere from one quarter to one half of the Class on average). Travel most often takes place during the summer or winter term. By selecting a country of study ahead of time, rather than allowing the students to select a country of study of their choice, you may be able to have your Pericleans engage in travel study to the target country through existing winter term or semester abroad programs. If you cannot send your Pericleans with existing programs, you will be likely be trying to organize a study travel experience and multiple new academic Classes, potentially with little or no reassigned time. Winter term study travel plans do not have to go through the all campus screening process since this is a special “travel embedded” program. Close communication with the Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies is highly recommended, however.
Non-Periclean Support for your Periclean Scholars Class
There are a variety of programs that can support your Periclean Scholars course at little to no cost to your Class.
Belk Library holdings: You may place orders for books, journals, videos, and CDs related to your country of study or program focus with Teresa LePors or another librarian. We are fortunate to have an improved library budget and most of your requests should be available within a few months of ordering them.
General Studies: Contact Dr. Jeff Clark (jclark28@elon.edu) if you believe that an event or speaker you would like to host would also be of interest to others. He may have funds available to help support your event. The earlier you place your request, the more likely that it will be funded in part or in full. He may also be able to support a upperclassman who has considerable experience in your Periclean country of study to serve as an occasional lecturer for your Class.
Your Department: Like General Studies, your department may have some funds to help support a visit by a speaker of mutual interest.
Sponsored Programs: Bonnie Bruno (bbruno2@elon.edu) can provide assistance identifying relevant grants. Grants can be time consuming to write and difficult to obtain, but they are an option. Your best bet may be through area studies related programs (looking to African Studies Centers nationally for any Africa-related grants, etc.), although Heifer International and many other programs, should be considered.
Fulbright Scholars program: This program is an excellent way to provide students with access to an academic from your country of study. Dr. Brian Digre (digreb@elon.edu) and Dr. Betty Morgan (morganb@elon.edu) both have experience bringing Fulbright Scholars to the Elon campus.
Undergraduate Research Program: This program supports student research over the summer through the SURE program and provides minor travel grants and other funds to support student research. For more information visit: http://org.elon.edu/urp
Isabella Cannon Center: The center has provided assistance for study abroad courses to the Periclean countries of study. Pericleans should be encouraged to apply for the study abroad essay contest and photo contests. Pericleans should also be encouraged to participate in the Study Abroad Forum which is held each fall.
You may know of a student with a lot of experience in your country of choice and want that student to help out with your Class in some way. Students may be able to receive course credit. Check with International Programs to see if there are any students from your country of study on campus or coming to campus sometime soon. They may serve as valuable resources. In some cases, their scholarship may even require them to give talks about their country on campus for free.
Organizations to which your Pericleans belong: A diverse group of Pericleans should belong to a diverse group of campus organizations. Students can use their sororities, clubs, and other groups to raise awareness and funds. You may also consider forming a “Friends of XXXX Pericleans” group open to students who did not get accepted into the program, did not have the time to make the three-year commitment, etc. “Friends” might be granted access to your course Moodle site to enable them to keep up with your group’s activities, and participate, where applicable. NOTE: although the ‘Friends’ idea sounds good, both the 2009s and 2010s who have tried this approach have found that those who say they will serve as ‘Friends’ have generally not been involved with the Pericleans in any meaningful way, with very few exceptions.
Facebook: Many students prefer to work through Facebook rather than their course Moodle site’s discussion board.
Elon Docs, School of Communications: Periclean Productions is a part of Elon Docs, under the School of Communications. This structural connection assures that each Class will have the opportunity to create some useful media. Although some projects have been created by small groups of students independently (see Rachel Hinson’s short video at www.elon.edu/community/pericles/rhinson.mov), several Periclean Scholars Classes have created videos with the technical assistance of Elon’s School of Communications. Videos created have ranged from a few minute “video postcard” to 20 to 30 minute explorations of issues.
Creating videos can be a wonderful way to get the word out about your Class and their project(s), but it can also be costly. You may require grant monies or other funds for start up. You may be able to recoup most of your investment through the sale of your video to a textbook company for use as ancillary material, but as mentioned, to date videos and CDs have been an investment in outreach and education, not an effective means of fundraising.
National Project Pericles Office Support
Project Pericles Course Enhancement Grants:
A short grant application is required. Successful applicants receive funds from the National Office and matching funds from Elon. These grants are not necessarily offered each year. For information on a recent round of funding for this grant visit: http://www.swarthmore.edu/langcenter/downloads/pp_grant_guidelines.doc
Periclean Ideals:
Encourage your Pericleans to vote each November. Democracy and citizenship are Periclean ideals.
(More to be added)
Periclean Scholars Alumni Association
Through the Redwoods Group Endowment Fund for the Sustainment of the Periclean Scholars Program, the mission chosen by each Class can be sustained in perpetuity. The word ‘sustainability’ runs throughout conversations among all Periclean Scholars Classes and is the key litmus test for any project. Each cohort of the Periclean Scholars grapples with that question, as the students craft their own mission statement and work toward their long term service learning project. The inaugural Class of Periclean Scholars established the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association with the vision that Periclean Scholars would make their involvement to their cause life long by staying in contact with each other and coordinating their long term efforts.
Under the direct mentorship of and with counsel from the Director of Project Pericles, the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association will gather every year with the charge of examining proposals from past and current Periclean Scholars Classes (or, more specifically, the non-government organizations with whom they partnered, e.g., Schools for Chiapas or Catholic AIDS Action). The group would make recommendations on a distribution of funds from the Redwoods Fund. With guidance from Elon faculty and the Redwoods Group, the alumni would evaluate each past project and make a decision on how best to invest the proceeds from the Redwoods Group Endowment Fund. Evaluation and reporting will be central to the work of this group with annual activity reports sent to Redwoods Group.
Alumni will be asked to contribute to the fund over time to increase its impact. With funds from alumni and the Redwoods Group, the amount of the endowment will increase, and new members of the Periclean Scholars program would begin their mission knowing that whatever they choose to pursue will live on far past their undergraduate years.
The objective here is twofold. The primary goal is to make the projects initiated by each Class more sustainable. A second –but critical—goal is to make the entire Periclean Scholars program even more vibrant and sustainable by giving alumni a lifelong home for their outreach passions.
In order for the association of Redwoods Group and Periclean Scholars to be most meaningful, the Redwoods Group leadership or others from the organization may be in contact with the Elon students as they plan their projects and travel. The Redwoods Group CEO will be available to speak to the students in the program regarding the responsibility of a corporation to improve the global human condition. Finally, Redwoods Group would hold open for Periclean Scholars who are rising seniors some spots in their summer Undergraduate Leadership Program.
A gift of $125,000, payable over five years will provide both an endowed fund at the end of the pledge period ($100,000) and a restricted annual gift ($5,000 per year). This will mimic the future endowment payout and allow the funds for Periclean Scholars to be available immediately. Other gifts may be added, including those of alumni Periclean Scholars themselves, to expand the endowment in the future.
Being a Periclean Scholar at Elon University is a privilege and an honor. It is a multi-year commitment at the undergraduate level that turns into a lifetime commitment after graduation. Being involved as a Periclean Scholar is a demanding role, but one that makes a demonstrative difference not only in the lives of the individual Periclean Scholars, but in the lives of the many partners we have world wide. Below is a year-by-year description of what being a Periclean Scholar involves.
Year 0 [first year at Elon]
• Spend time learning about the program from conversations with current Periclean Scholars, current PS Mentors, and the Director (Dr. Arcaro).
• Go to events sponsored by all three standing Classes of Periclean Scholars including talks by Pericleans-in-Residence, the Celebrating Periclean Scholars event in the fall, etc.
• Meet the Mentor for your Class and talk to her/him about the country/region of focus.
• Do research on the country/region of focus.
• Talk to your academic advisor about how being a Periclean Scholar can fit into your four-year plan.
• Apply early in the spring semester by securing a letter of recommendation from your GST 110 professor, and meeting with the Mentor for your Class for the application interview.
• Think long and hard about the decision to apply and look very honestly at your ability to make a long-term commitment and teamwork skills.
• Work on team building with your Class at and after the Induction Ceremony.
• Identify other Pericleans in your Class who may share your major, interests, and/or skill sets and begin to imagine how you can team together on various group initiatives that might move you and your Class forward toward your goals.
• Stay in touch and keep networking and team building during the summer (remember, social, justice and environmental issues do not function on an academic calendar).
Note: the following lists are for the most part cumulative, and what goes for one year goes for the others. Consider this a guide or break down of personal responsibilities for each year of involvement in the program.
Year 1 [sophomore year]
• Be involved in non-Periclean activities, but always make being a Periclean Scholar one of your very top priorities
• Attend every Periclean class and do even more homework than you are assigned, learning as much as you can about your country/region of focus
• Begin working on your individual three-year plan, making sure to incorporate your major and any Fellows (Honors, Leadership, Communications, Business, Teaching, Elon College, etc.) projects into this plan as much as possible
• Contribute meaningfully in the design of your Class three year plan
• Each Class needs to decide how to decide, i.e., how decisions will be made about focus, fund raising, travel, etc. Be a part of this discussion
• Help your Class to identify and vet (and be willing to be vetted by) partners both locally and in your country/region of focus
• Begin thinking about who you may want to invite to campus as a Periclean-in-Residence.
• Keep in close contact with your academic advisor, making sure to count your Periclean hours appropriately to your major and minor(s). In most cases, Periclean Scholars will be able to count their PER hours toward a minor (e.g., the 2011’s and 2012’s can count their hours toward a minor in Asia/Asian Pacific Studies minor)
• With your academic advisor work out your study abroad plans for your Elon career, keeping in mind that it is likely that your Class may choose to travel to their country/region of focus winter term senior year. This travel (as are all Elon study abroad experiences) is student funded, and you will need to plan for this financial burden
• Consider applying for a Lumen Prize and/or SURE research that you can relate to your Class mission and goals
Year 2 [junior year]
• Be involved in non-Periclean activities, but always make being a Periclean Scholar one of your very top priorities.
• During junior year many Pericleans spend a semester abroad. It is likely that both fall and spring semester you will “lose” as many as 7-8 of your classmates, often key players in terms of team dynamics. Class morale and teambuilding will take special effort.
• Revisit your three-year plan and reassess your goals and objectives.
• Work with your Class to revisit your Class mission statement and three-year plan.
• In second semester, identify classmates to be nominated for Periclean Scholar of the Year (goes to rising senior).
• Consider presenting research that you have done related to Periclean in SURF and/or NCUR.
• If your Class is planning a senior winter term travel to your country/region of focus begin your planning now. Fall can be used for brainstorming, but by mid-spring you need to begin committing to a plan.
Year 3 [senior year]
• Be involved in non-Periclean activities, but always make being a Periclean Scholar one of your very top priorities.
• In the fall, if your Class has designed a capstone project in your country/region of focus, you will need to take an active part in this planning.
• Always be thinking of a way that your class assignments in any of your classes can be used to benefit your Periclean Scholar Class (e.g., if you have a class in digital media convergence do a project highlighting your Class initiatives).
• Always be thinking of how you can focus your capstone assignments for your Fellows involvement into Periclean (e.g., Emily Sears and Hayley Gravette ’06, dedicated their “common good” project to organizing the event where Testing Positive was screened as a fundraiser).
• Always be thinking of how you can focus your senior seminar ( for your major) efforts into work related to your Class efforts.
• Plan for end-of-year events such as the senior banquet. Get prepared for the end of this chapter of being a Periclean Scholar.
• Plan for sustainability of your efforts beyond graduation, including representation on the PSAA Steering Committee and stewardship of the various initiatives and partnerships that you began in the last three years.
Years 4+ [post graduation]
• Upon graduation you become a member of the Periclean Scholar Alumni Association (PSAA).
• Consider taking on a two tear term being your Class representative on the Steering Committee of the PSAA.
• Stay in communication with your Classmates and your Mentor using all appropriate social networking vehicles; make sure that your Mentor and the Director have your contact information (email, surface address, employment/graduate school, etc. status).
• Donate regularly to Elon University and designate your gift to go directly to Project Pericles knowing that these funds will go directly to the PSAA and will directly benefit the partners that Classes vetted.
• Find out if the organization or business that you work in has a philanthropic outreach office and find out how this entity might be a resource for the PSAA.
• Find of if the organization or business that you work for has a matching program for donations.
• Continue to research and keep up with your country/region of focus and the issues that drove your Class.
• Continue to maintain contact with the organizations with which your Class partnered, and especially the individuals that your Class invited to campus as Pericleans-in-Residence.
• Keep in communication with the Elon University Alumni Relations office and be aware of travel opportunities back to your country/region of focus.
• When you receive a copy of the newsletter in your email box read it thoroughly and forward it on to family, friends and work associates.
• Consider writing a short article for the newsletter about your life and career especially as they have been impacted by your undergraduate experience as a Periclean Scholar.
• Always remember the reason you made the commitment to become a Periclean Scholar as a first year student at Elon. Never ever let that passion wane because it is you at your best and, more importantly, you continuing to make a difference in our world as a true global citizen.
What is the PSSC?
The PSSC is a small group of Periclean Scholar leaders who meet with the Director and/or Associate Director on a fortnightly basis.
Is this a new initiative?
No. The PSSC has been active at some level for most of the existence of the program. The activity level varies depending upon the needs of the program and other variables.
Which Pericleans make up the PSSC?
Ideally, there are two representatives from each standing Class as well as representatives from other past graduating Classes who have current undergraduate members. All Pericleans and Mentors are welcome to come to these meetings.
How can I become a representative for my Class?
Each Class should determine which two (or more) members will represent their Class. The method for choosing these representatives should be discussed as part of your deliberations on course syllabi. You should make your feelings known if you want to perform this service “officially” and, in any case, all Pericleans are welcome to come to the meetings and provide input.
What is the overall purpose of this body?
The central mission of the PSSC is to further communication, coordination and planning both between Classes and the Director.
Who sets the agenda for the regular meetings?
Any Periclean Scholar or Mentor can present agenda items for these meetings. The Director or Associate Director have historically set the general agenda.
What typically happens at these meetings?
Reports are issued from each Class and from the Director. Representatives give updates on activities, partnerships, grant writing initiatives and so on. The Director passes on an update on his/her activities and typically facilitates the meeting. Additionally, Pan-Periclean activities are discussed (e.g., Induction Ceremony) and plans are clarified.
Does this body have a budget?
There is no specific budget set aside for the PSSC, but the Director has a budget that is to be used for supporting the program. If the PSSC decides that there are materials or activities (e.g., Pan-Periclean breakfast bagels and coffee) that are appropriate use of funds then the Director frees up the resources to make it happen.
Do Class representatives get credit or a grade for their work on the PSSC?
Mentors are encouraged to include Pan-Periclean activities in their syllabi and to that extent the work is evaluated and credit is given. Being a member of the PSSC is a significant service to the program and is deeply valued.
How long has there been a Periclean Newsletter?
The Class of 2006 started a newsletter their junior year, though there were only a few issues by the time they graduated. Other Classes took up the idea with varying degrees of success between 2007 and 2009 when the Class of 2011 rejuvenated the idea.
How often does this publication come out?
This has varied over the years, but the goal has been to put out approximately six per year.
Are there themed issues?
Yes, a typical year would look like this: (1) early September issue highlighting events over the summer and alumni news, (2) early November issue covering fall events and featuring the Celebrating Periclean Scholars gathering in October, (3) late December covering end of semester news and accomplishments, (4) late February issue reporting on Winter Term activities and early semester news, (5) late April issue featuring the Induction Ceremony, and (6) a post graduate special issue featuring the graduating Class.
Who is in charge of this project?
There has always been student ownership of the newsletter, though the Director has typically been the final editor. Catherine Parsons, the program assistant, is now involved in the workflow and can assist in production. The optimum structure would be to have members from at least two Classes work together on the newsletter.
Do Pericleans that work on the newsletter get “credit” for this work?
How the job of working on the newsletter has figured into the course syllabus and/or course grade has varied from Class to Class and from Mentor to Mentor, but the intent is that writing done for the newsletter is clearly part of your class participation.
Who can submit articles?
Each Class should have a “Class update” article in each issue, and beyond that, any Periclean is welcome to submit news and/or feature articles as they wish.
Can alumni and partners be featured and/or submit articles?
Yes! In fact this is one of the more important dimensions of the newsletter.
Can photographs be submitted?
Yes, definitely. Art of any sort always makes the publication more inviting for readers. Typically a caption and/or explanation needs to accompany any photo that is submitted.
Can my article include hyperlinks?
Yes. Hyperlinks can be included since the vast majority of readers get their copy of the newsletter digitally in PDF format.
Who gets the newsletter?
Digital copies are sent to all current and alumni Pericleans, all current and past partners of Periclean Classes, friends of the program both inside and outside of Elon (e.g., Dr. Lambert here at Elon and Kevin Trapani of the Redwoods Group in Raleigh). Pericleans are urged to forward the newsletter to family and friends, and hard copies of the newsletter are put on display in various places on campus.
What is the purpose of the newsletter?
There are many reasons to produce a high quality newsletter. First, the newsletter serves to create a deeper sense of connection among the existing Classes and to sustain the sense of connection to the program of the Periclean alumni. Secondly, the newsletter serves to educate all of the non-Pericleans about the world. Periclean Class projects (past and present) cover many countries around the world and important issues that impact the people in those countries. Every time, for example, a parent or sibling looks at the newsletter they are learning more about the world and hence becoming more informed global citizens. Finally, the newsletter is a good way to introduce the program to potential friends that may be able to support various Class initiatives.
What is the idea behind the PWC?
The purpose of the PWC is fairly straightforward: the intent is to create and sustain a revenue stream for the Periclean Scholars program at Elon University. Periclean Scholars (and Mentors) bring back goods from their travels (i.e.: scarves from India) and these items are then sold at the PWC. The revenue will then go to the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association or to current Classes.
What about import laws?
At this point we are operating at such a minor level with single students, for example, bringing back relatively small amounts of goods (value of approximately $100.00), and in the present case we are beneath the level of official concern regarding import laws. However, the owner of the store where the PWC is located is working on getting his import credentials certified such that in the future he will become the import agent. Details on how that will work are still being determined.
Where is this PWC?
The PWC is a small, clearly marked and branded space in a retail outlet called "For Every Season" inside the Holly Hill Mall on Huffman Mill Road in Burlington, NC. The store has a good, central location in the mall with reasonable traffic.
Who owns “For Every Season?”
David Higham, Periclean Scholars Class of 2006, owns and operates this store (as well as many other businesses in the local area) and it has been in business since 2010.
How long has this initiative been active?
The PWC was put into place just before Christmas in December 2011.
What kinds of items can be put up for sale?
The general rule of thumb is that anything that will sell can be put on display at the PWC, but that is the catch: what will sell can be very tricky to predict. The safest route to go, at least in this beginning stage of the operation, is to think in terms of reasonably priced gift items ($1.00-$30.00) that one might buy as a small gift for a family member or friend. Single items are discouraged in favor of 10+ of the same item. Also, items that are smaller and/or easier to display are preferred.
No material mentioned or written in this handbook can be copied or reprinted without permission. C. 2010
