The McKenna Centre supports students in the important effort to internationalize their education, their professional portfolios, and their leadership skills.
Funding opportunities like the MacBain/Riley Global Engagement Award have been assisting students in this regard for several years. Beginning in 2020, the McKenna Centre is pleased to be able to offer a new opportunity for students: the McKenna International Academic Exchange Bursary.
Each year, the McKenna Centre will award five bursaries of $1,000 to help students cover travel and other costs associated with international academic exchange opportunities.
International academic exchanges significantly contribute to students’ educational experience and often considerably shape their future pathways. Exchanges also train students in skills that are valuable far beyond academic study. The bursaries are intended to help make such important opportunities accessible to a wider range of StFX students.
Students applying for an exchange placement through the StFX Office of Internationalization are encouraged to also submit an application for the bursary. The deadline for both applications is January 15.
To apply for a bursary, send the following materials to lead@stfx.ca:
- Cover letter of 500 – 1,000 words outlining your background and program of study, the reasons for your interest in participating in an international exchange program, a description of how you intend to use the international exchange opportunity to aid your academic and professional development, and a description of your reason for applying for the bursary.
- 1 confidential letter of recommendation from a faculty member (sent directly to the email address above by your professor) that assesses your qualifications for an international academic exchange
In partnership with the Office of Internationalization, that McKenna Centre hosts an annual Leadership Symposium that focuses on leadership in/and internationalization. This event takes places each November during International Education Week. Recipients of the McKenna International Academic Exchange Bursary will deliver a brief report on their exchange experiences during a special panel at the symposium in order to highlight both the individual students’ accomplishments and the value of international exchanges for students of all disciplines.